Published: Friday, 19th March, 2010 11:18am

Cook & Co end Craigroyston's title challenge

Craigroyston 0 V 2 Vale of Leithen

Andre Cook capped a great debut by scoring Vale's second.

THEY say patience is a virtue and it was never more apparent than in this game.

While the Innerleithen side never looked like losing, a fantastic performance from Craigroyston keeper Craig Weir kept them at bay and it looked for a while as if the game would end in a stalemate, until two late goals ensured the three points.

While the pressure of being league leaders running out of games seemed to affect Craigie, Vale, by contrast, took the game by the scruff of the neck and rarely looked in trouble.

A cagey first half meant that 44 minutes passed before what you could call a genuine goal chance arrived as an Andy Martin cross found Vale striker Scott Moffat a few yards out with only the keeper to beat, but Moffat miscued his shot and it flew harmlessly wide.

Perhaps the best illustration of the difference between the sides lay in their respective keepers.

Vale's Darren Walker never had to stray beyond the first chapter in rudimentary handling of the goalkeepers manual, while Craigroyston's Weir was forced to pull off a number of top drawer saves to keep the game scoreless, with a point-blank stop from a Darren Gillon rocket the pick of the bunch.

The introduction of Mark Robertson, son of Hearts legend John, heralded a spell for the home side as he stooped to head a Kyle Hay cross narrowly over, while Steven Manson saw an effort rebound off the post.

But Vale made the breakthrough in 78 minutes, when substitute Ousman Sonko dispossessed Stephen Sproule down the left and slipped a pass through to Moffat, who shimmied his way into the area before unleashing a shot beyond Weir.

Five minutes from time, Vale wrapped things up with a superb goal. A poor corner from the home side's Hay was stopped at the near post by Aaron Somerville.

He pushed the ball forward to Andy Martin, who set off upfield accompanied by Somerville and both players swopped possession until Martin sent a cross into the centre where former Raith Rovers player Andy Cook capped an impressive debut by knocking the ball home.

Vale of Leithen: D. Walker; G. Tainsh, A. Cook, M. Stewart, P. Lee, P. Greenhill (D. Gillon 57), A. Martin (A. Penman 85), K. Dodds, S. Moffat, G. Shortreed (O. Sonko 68), A. Somerville.