Vale of Leithen 1-1 Edusport Academy

By Callum Hodgson

at Victoria Park

VALE picked up what could turn out to be a vital point on Wednesday night.

The Innerleithen side now sit just two points behind third from bottom Dalbeattie Star with one game in hand as they look to climb away from the uncertainty of 15th place.

They took the lead against Ricky Waddell’s Edusport side courtesy of danger man Cameron Dawson.

But a second half Connor Higgins strike denied the Victoria Park men maximum points.

Manager Chris Anderson told us: “We played really well and it might turn out to be an important point at the end of the season, you never know. We are taking the positives from it because it was a really good performance. We created many chances and could have won the game.

“It’s never easy with an early midweek kick off, but credit to the players they did really well.”

Both teams started the game brightly, with Vale coming the closest on 19 minutes but McBride saw his header fly narrowly wide.

But they did take the lead three minutes later when Thomas Patterson threaded a wonderful ball through to Dawson on the left.

The 19-year-old made no mistake and grabbed his sixth goal of the season.The visitors did create chances through Thomas Garnier and Liam Coogans, but they were met by a sturdy Vale defence.

Early in the second half the home side had a chance to double their advantage, but Steven Lynch headed Liall Smith’s corner into the side netting.

But on 71 minutes Edusport equalised in a move started and finished by Higgins.

The Partick Thistle loanee spread a ball out to former Queen of the South man Ryan McCann.

He crossed in from the right, and there was Higgins at the back stick who had made the run from the centre circle, to fire in.

The Vale pushed on to find another goal. And nine minutes before the end they could have scored. Patterson played in Jordan Finnie, who took the ball past the on rushing goalkeeper, but his shot was blocked by Lebanese defender Raffi Krissian.

The rebound fell to manager Anderson, who had just come on as a sub, but his effort went narrowly over the bar.

The game ended with a few goalmouth scrambles in the visitors’ box as the home side tried to nick a late goal.

But Edusport also had a good chance to steal the game in stoppage time, but Stevan Jovanovic missed the target following a nice pass from Higgins.

Vale of Leithen: R Gilpin, A Lewis, T Patterson, S Lynch, A Smith, C McBride (Anderson 77), A Hunter, K Allan, J Finnie, L Smith, C Dawson. Subs not used: J Blaikie, J Elliot, A Imlah.