Kelso see red as Vale march on
Dave Ryce • Published 2 Sep 2011 09:30
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Vale of Leithen 2 v 1 Kelso United
ELEVEN days previously, Vale had overrun United 6-0 in an East of Scotland Qualifying League tie, but this particular meeting couldn't have been more different.
Vale initially threatened to run up a similar score in a first half which they completely dominated, but couldn't break the deadlock.
In contrast to the dull, rainy start to the day, the sun came out for the second half, but the gloom didn't lift for the Tweedsiders four minutes into the second period when Chris Black was guilty of a shove on John Ferguson inside the area and Scott Devlin stepped up to send Simmonds the wrong way from the spot.
Usually it's the scoring side that get the boost from a goal, but Vale seemed to lose momentum as United came storming back into the match and although their equaliser on the hour mark carried a bit of good fortune, there was no argument that it wasn't a deserved one.
A low ball into the box from the right by Derek Burnett looked as if it would be easily dealt with by Grant McNicoll, but the ball hit off the defender's knee and flew into the net.
In the 72nd minute Jordan Hall scored what proved to be the winning goal, taking the ball on a fantastic solo run, cutting in from the right and blasting the ball beyond Simmonds and in to the far corner of the net.
That wasn't the end of the action by any means as Kelso came agonisingly close to another equaliser six minutes from time as Stuart Harker sent a long ball forward which Burnett got to just ahead of keeper Mark Wilson, but his lob bounced in front of goal and over.
Referee Mr Marini hadn't exactly endeared himself to either side, with some soft bookings and dodgy offside calls, but he ended the game positively enraging Kelso by awarding another penalty in the final minute.
Vale's David Anderson robbed McCutcheon of possession and went to round keeper Simmonds, who pulled him down.
A straight red for Simmonds meant that Burnett took over in goal and he produced a fine save to stop Devlin's second effort from the spot.
There was further misery for Kelso in injury time as they were reduced to nine when McCutcheon, who had been puzzlingly cautioned for a challenge on Hall in the first half, received a second booking for kicking the ball away.
Vale of Leithen: M. Wilson, S. Sproule, R. McKenzie, R. Miller, G. McNicoll, J. Paterson, D. Anderson, S. Devlin, J. Ferguson (S. Moffat 71), S. Radzynski (A. Martin 79) & J. Hall.
Kelso United: D. Simmonds, J. McCutcheon, S. Angus (C. Tait 41), S. Tait (J. Milner 86), S. Harker, D. McNulty, J. Ferguson (J. Hogarth 82), M. Lockhart, D. Burnett, J. Swailes & C. Black.
This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 02 Sep 11
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