’Vale fail to hold lead
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DEVERONVALE boss Ally MacLeod admits the players owe the club and the fans an improved performance at Inverurie Locos this weekend.
MacLeod said there were no positives to take from his side’s League Cup exit at the hands of Clach last Saturday.
Despite taking a first minute lead through Graeme Rodger, the Banff side crashed out of the competition 4-1 in the Highland capital.
MacLeod said: "Clach were by far the better team and battered us for the rest of the first half.
"There was relief that we were only 2-1 behind at half-time, because it could have been more."
MacLeod admitted it did not get any better in the second half, despite bringing on Sean Keith and Colin Charlesworth at the interval.
The visitors did have a couple of half chances early in the second half, but when Clach added their third goal, MacLeod admitted the game was over.
"We kept pressing but Clach got a fourth on the break," added the manager.
"The disappointing thing for me was that three of their goals came from set pieces."
’Vale’s chronic injury list – they have 10 players missing right now – has not helped MacLeod field a settled side, and with the likes of Scott Henry, Scott Fraser and Kevin Adams out for the rest of the season, it will be the summer before he can work on getting these players fit.
MacLeod says they face a big task when they return to league action at Inverurie Locos on Saturday.
"We are only as good as our last game, and that was awful, quite frankly," he said. "We owe the club, the board and the fans an improvement.
"The biggest thing for me is that the players have to get their heads into the way that it is not acceptable to lose."
