Paget's players put first foot in Premier League

Published 23 Apr 2010 16:51 0 Comments

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Vale of Leithen 2 v 0 Leith Athletic

VALE are standing on the brink of promotion after this fantastic win on Tuesday night.

The victory was achieved mainly thanks to a stunning first half display that saw Vale back in the sort of form that they haven't shown since before Christmas.

The game was slightly late in kicking off as many Leith players were delayed getting to the ground and hadn't found time for much of a warm up, but few sides could have lived with the blistering start the Innerleithen side made.

Just nine minutes into the game Aaron Somerville gave Vale the lead with a magnificent goal. Receiving a cross from Gavin Tainsh with his back to goal, the striker lobbed the ball over his head and it dropped into the far corner of the net.

Ten minutes later, Darren Gillon volleyed a Kerr Dodds cross home to make it two.

Leith couldn't seem to hold on to the ball and for long periods hardly made it out of their own half, as wave after wave of navy shirts bore down on them.

As half time approached, Leith had their first clear-cut chance as Euan Campbell fired a low shot in, but Darren Walker got down to it smartly.

Right on the stroke of half time Vale had the ball in the net when Gillon struck again, but the far side linesman had his flag raised for offside against the midfielder as Somerville threaded the ball through to him.

Athletic withdrew Darren Lockhart and Greg Irvine at half time and threw on Rory Stewart and Jamie Lauder in an effort to get a foothold in the game and had more of play in the second half.

As the game became quite physical, referee Mr McLean reached into his pocket to show cards to Vale's Paul Greenhill and John Hall, closely followed by Leith's Steven Radzynski, Andy Milligan, Ross Middlemiss and Kevin Freedman.

Vale had some defending to do as Leith started to press, but with the action at such full-throttle, the prospect of the game ending with 22 players still on the park looked unlikely and it was Leith's Radzynski who walked nine minutes from time after picking up a second booking.

This handed the initiative back to Vale, who saw the game out to maintain their unbeaten run in the league.

Vale of Leithen: D. Walker; G. Tainsh, P. Lee, M. Stewart, J. Hall, P. Greenhill (A. Penman 84), A. Martin (G. Shortreed 70), D. Gillon (R.

Burke 88), K. Dodds, A. Munro, A. Somerville.

Leith Athletic: I. Gordon; A. Milligan, R. Middlemiss, N. Ewart, M. Wallace, C. Beaton (R. Young 77), K. Freedman, D. Lockhart (R. Stewart

46), S. Radzynski, E. Campbell, G. Irvine (J. Lauder 46).

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 23 Apr 10

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