Vale of Leithen 2

Cumbernauld Colts 2

By Callum Hodgson

at Victoria Park

VALIANT Vale managed to secure a valuable point at the weekend – despite playing most of the game with 10 men.

Josh Wishart was sent off for the Innerleithen side in the opening half an hour.

And they were two goals up at half time courtesy of Ally Smith and Liam Ireland.

However the visitors made the extra man count in the second period and managed to come away with a share of the points.

But Vale boss Chris Anderson was delighted with the way his team performed, under the circumstances.

He told us: “Cumbernauld are a really good side.

“We had to play most of the game with 10 men, so we really had to roll our sleeves up and work hard.

“Credit to the boys, they did that. I thought they were terrific today.”

The Vale dominated most of the first half and came close early on through Ireland and Robel Dent.

And they thought they had taken the lead when man of the match Paul Thomson nodded Ger Rossi’s free kick into the path of Ally Smith.

He put the ball past Alexander Gilchrist, but the effort was chalked off when the assistant raised her flag for what was a dubious-looking offside.

And the home side suffered another setback on 30 minutes when last-man Wishart was given his marching orders after bringing down Fraser Team on the edge of the area.

But it didn’t seem to disrupt the Vale’s rhythm.

They took the lead shortly after.

Ireland’s free kick rattled the crossbar, but Ally Smith was on hand to nod in.

And just moments later, they doubled their advantage when gaffer Anderson flicked onto Ireland who curled the ball into the net.

However, it was always going to be difficult for the Vale in the second half.

And the visitors got back into the game seven minutes after the restart when Ross Kavanagh headed in at the back post.

Craig Holmes then almost got the equaliser, but his 30-yard strike smashed off the crossbar.

Luckily for the Vale, it was so powerful nobody could pick up the rebound in the box.

Ross Gilpin also made a fantastic save from close range to keep out Gregor Johnston.

The home side worked hard throughout the game, but eventually conceded again 10 minutes before the end when Richard Kirwan headed in from a corner.

And the defender thought he had won it in stoppage time when he again headed in a Holmes corner, but the referee blew his whistle for a push in the box.

Vale: R Gilpin, C O’Neil, A Imlah, J Wishart, P Thomson, A Smith, R Dent (L Hall), G Rossi, C Anderson (L Smith 55), L Ireland, B Rixon. Subs not used: A McQueen, M Robertson, M Underhill, R Higgins.