Somerville's late strike salvages point

Published 12 Feb 2010 11:03 0 Comments

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Stirling University 2 v 2 Vale of Leithen

It remains to be seen whether this will be a Premier Division fixture next season, but as a top of the table First Division clash it didn't do too badly.

An 87th minute equaliser from Aaron Somerville ensured a share of the spoils, which was the right result in the end as you couldn't have squeezed a sheet of tissue paper between the sides in a cracking game that swung this way and that.

Stirling came at their visitors from the off, putting a rather jittery-looking Vale defence under some extreme pressure, and by half time the students held a one-goal lead thanks to a 28th minute penalty by captain Lee Nicholl.

A large part of football's global popularity can be attributed to it's simplicity, but the penalty award was viewed as controversial as it came shrouded in that murky area of the game where situations are open to the referee's interpretation.

As Stirling's Jacob Arnold-Smith drove into the box, defender Paul Thomson slid in for a challenge and although he appeared to make contact with the ball first, he also brought Arnold-Smith crashing to the turf and whistler John Reid pointed to the spot, as he had every right to under the laws of the game.

Nicholl, who missed a penalty in the game at Innerleithen earlier in the season, made no mistake this time, dispatching the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

Vale, with their midfield completely over run, found their best chances were coming from set-pieces.

Andy Martin sent in the perfect inswinger from a corner, but despite three Vale players craning their necks as it flew across goal, not one could get a touch.

The second half saw a role reversal as it was Vale who came out all guns blazing, and within five minutes they had found an equaliser.

A Martin free kick found it's way to Steven Dongo, whose diving header was blocked, but Darren Gillon popped up at the back post to knock the ball in.

Stirling went back in front on the hour mark following a breakaway move and a snap shot from 20 yards by Craig McLeish deceived Vale keeper Mark Wilson to sneak inside the post.

That was practically the last sniff at goal the students got as Vale threw everything at Stirling, keeping their opponents pegged in their own half.

Dongo twice found himself in good positions, but fired over from an Ousman Sonko cross, before knocking a Thomson knock-down wide.

But with three minutes remaining, Somerville met a Martin corner to glance a header into the net and spark jubilant celebrations.

Stirling University: S. Filler; M. McCullach, C. Robertson, K. Stallard, R. Milne, J. Atkins, M. Pentland (C. Mason 74), A. Neilson, J. Arnold-Smith, L. Nicholl, C. McLeish.

Vale of Leithen: M. Wilson; G. Tainsh, P. Lee, M. Stewart, P. Thomson, P. Greenhill, A. Martin, D. Gillon, G. Rossi (S. Dongo 28), G. Shortreed (O. Sonko 68), A. Somerville.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 12 Feb 10

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