PICTURES and VIDEO: Deveronvale manager Craig Stewart praised teenager striker Ryan Park for match-winning Highland League double at Forres Mechanics
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Deveronvale teenager Ryan Park may not be an out-and-out striker but he was the Banff club's match winner with a double at Forres Mechanics on Saturday.
The 18-year-old added to his strike in the 4-2 defeat to Fraserburgh a week earlier, scoring both Vale goals in a 2-0 success at Mosset Park.
Watch highlights (below) from Mechanics' youTube page.
"When he signed 'Parkie' we weren’t sure what his best position was because he is versatile," said Vale manager Craig Stewart. "He was possibly more of an attacking midfielder but he has attributes to play as a striker.
"We put him in with Jack (Mitchell) up front and they are working well as a pair at the minute. He can play centre midfield as well but he’s doing well up top so we will keep him there and that’s three goals in his last two games, so we're delighted for him.
Picture gallery from Saturday's game by Daniel Forsyth.
"He’s deceivingly quick for a big lad and he has great feet. There’s things to work on in his game but that applies right through the team.
"He works hard for the cause and he’s absolutely keen to learn. He’s come back from a loan spell and had plenty of game time and he’s lapping it up."
Park was on hand to knock home a loose ball in front of the Forres goal to open the scoring on 11 minutes.
Twenty minutes later he advanced on a through pass and applied a cool finish past keeper Lee Herbert to make it 2-0.
Stewart was thrilled by another defensive shut-out for his team and a result at a venue where Vale have found results hard to come by.
"Over the piece I think we deserved it," he said. "It was tough conditions in terms of the pitch but it was the same for both teams. Despite the heavy pitch both teams tried to play football and I think the neutral might say it was a decent enough game. It was quite open.
"I'm pleased with the three points scoring two decent goals and even more so with a clean sheet which is our third in four games.
"Before that, I don’t think we had a clean sheet since the first game of the season against Keith.
"We have been working at it, we're certainly not the finished product yet but it is encouraging to see signs of progress and every player did themselves justice and had a really good game.
"Everyone on their game and even the subs who came on contributed. That’s what we need where we are in the league and it was great to see.
"I think we managed the game very well when we got to 2-0 . We expected Forres to come back at us in the second half which they did and I’m not saying we had to weather a storm, there was never a point where we were under massive pressure but Forres did have a couple of chances.
"Sean (goalkeeper McIntosh) did well with his positioning to make it difficult for their forwards and from Sean right through to the two up front we were excellent again and it was a pleasing win.
"Forres has never been an easy place for Vale to go to. I think there’s only been one win previously there in a lot of years.
"I seem to remember we broke the record recently and it had been something like 15 years since we had won there before. Forres are in a similar place to us in terms of the table but it is a very difficult place for the Vale to go and we were delighted to come away with the three points."
