Peeblesshire News | Sport | Four-goal Vale set sights on silverware

Saturday, 17th May, 2008

Published: Friday, 25th April, 2008 09:00

Four-goal Vale set sights on silverware

By David Knox at Victoria Park

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Colin Smith takes charge of the midfield area for the Vale.

Pic by: John Robertson

A FIRST half fling fired Vale into the second round of the King Cup on Tuesday evening.

And gives the inconsistent Innerleithen team a gilt-edged chance of crowning their season with some silverware.

It may only have been the first round, but with a home game against lowly Hawick standing between them and the quarter-finals they could well be the tournament’s dark horses.

Despite the convincing destruction of Kelso co-manager Robbie Clark wasn’t getting carried away.

He told the Peeblesshire News: “We told the players before the game that this was their last chance to win something this season.

“I thought we played some excellent football in the first half and we’ll hopefully keep this form going.

“There are still a few games between us and the final so we’ll just take each one as it comes and not look too far ahead.”

Tuesday’s first round almost began with a disaster for the home side after a loose back pass by Ray Fleming was almost, and should have been, intercepted by Chris Black – thankfully for the home support Mark Wilson smothered the ball well.

But that was as much danger as Wilson would see in a one-sided opening 45 minutes.

Whatever the Kelso formation was supposed to be they didn’t appear to bother with a right back and Vale took full advantage.

Aaron Somerville almost opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a neat lob from 25 yards that keeper Elliot Turnbull did well to touch round the post.

It was only a matter of time before Vale made the breakthrough and it came on 18 minutes. Somerville and Fleming combined to allow Greg Shortreed to run into the box unchallenged and wrong foot the keeper with a pass into the bottom corner of the net.

The second followed just moments later when Ross Alexander flighted a perfect ball over to the unmarked Colin Smith, who blasted the ball high into the net at the back post.

Cambell Forsyth doesn’t get all that many chances to score and he will be ruing his missed opportunity on 23 minutes.

Somerville’s drive from the edge of the box rebounded into the path of the centre half but he could only poke the ball round the wrong side of the post.

Kelso reshuffled their players and took a gamble by throwing their only substitute on after half and hour.

But it was still one-way traffic and the third arrived on 40 minutes.

Somerville attempted a curling shot from the edge of the area, which Turnbull could only palm into the path of Ryan McManus and the winger made no mistake from close range.

In fairness to Kelso the game was pretty even after the break.

And Black’s back post header on 67 minutes gave Jim McLean’s side a glimmer of hope.

But a late strike by substitute Mike McKale eased any nerves and assured Vale of a home tie against Hawick Royal Albert in round two.

Vale of Leithen. M Wilson, R Alexander, Ross McManus, C Robertson, C Forsyth, R Clark (S Notman 70), Ryan McManus (M McKale 70), C Smith, G Shortreed, A Somerville & R Fleming.

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