VALE of Leithen are playing for a piece of silverware this afternoon when they face Coldstream in the South Challenge Cup at Home Park.

The trophy is an unofficial one to mark the first ever East of Scotland League match which was played in 1923 and was Vale v Coldstream.

Coincidentally today’s  game is close to the anniversary of the first match.

Seven clubs contested the debut season – Berwick Rangers, Civil Service Strollers, Coldstream, Edinburgh Civil Service, Gala Fairydean, Selkirk and Vale. ECS resigned halfway through the campaign and their record was taken-over by Leith Amateurs.

 Peebles did not participate as they were invited into the new and ultimately short-lived Scottish Football League Division Three.

Coldstream won the inaugural title and are the only club to have been ever-present members for all 100 years.

Since those embryonic days the league has weathered war, national emergencies and several footballing crises to emerge as a leading organisation within Scotland’s pyramid system.

 Only the SFL (1990) and Highland League (1993) have reached the century mark earlier than the EOSFL.

Today it is the second-largest league in Scottish senior football with 59 clubs covering the Lothians, Borders, Fife and central Scotland.

Vale go into the game on the back of a 4-1 home defeat to Oakley United at Victoria Park on Saturday.

However manager Ian Flynn took positives from the performance.

He said: “I thought we looked really good for the first 20-minutes and could have gone two or even three up but we lost our way a bit when they equalised.

“The extra time in midweek maybe took a bit out of their legs but I’m not using that as an excuse.

“We were always in the game until they scored two late goals but we are not far away.”

Vale have confirmed the signings of Elliot Grieve from Arniston Rangers, a central defender with plenty of experience, Jack McDonald a striker who was a regular on the scoresheet at U20 level and former Dalkeith Thistle midfielder Jake Grandison.

And Flynn is keen to add another couple of signing this week to add to his squad.