Highland League round-up
Saturday January 14th
Vale keeper on top form to deny Academy
Academy gave as good as they got before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat
to Deveronvale at Princess Royal Park, Mike McKenzie and Scott Fraser getting
the goals inside a three-minute spell in the second half.
In some ways it was a throwback to the early part of the
season, when the Scorries were dominant in a number of games only to end up
with nothing to show for their efforts. It was telling that the
man-of-the-match award went to Vale keeper James Blanchard.
This was Academy's first outing since the win at Brora just
before Christmas but the Scorries were quickly into their stride on a crisp,
clear day in Banff.
Sam Mackay saw a 30-yard free kick blocked by the Vale
defence, then with six minutes gone Davie Allan and Richard Macadie linked up
well with the latter seeing a shot parried away by Blanchard. Macadie was first
to react to the rebound but his second attempt hit the keeper on the body and
the danger was cleared.
Four minutes later Vale's Kyle Rae saw speculative effort
from 40 yards bounce off the top of the Academy crossbar.
Just after the half-hour mark Blanchard got down well to
turn away a free kick from Ross Allan. Soon after, a Gary Weir cutback came to
Stevie Cunningham whose shot was pushed away by the Vale No. 1.
Early in the second half Michael Gray pulled off a fine save,
turning away a shot from Fraser. The Academy keeper was soon in action again as
he blocked a Chris Blackhall effort.
Vale opened the scoring in the 70th minute when they worked
the ball to Mike McKenzie on the edge of the box and he drilled it past Gray.
The home side doubled their advantage on 72 minutes when
Kyle Rae's right-wing cross was headed home by Fraser at the back post.
Vale were reduced to 10 men with seven minutes left when
Fraser – who was already on a yellow card – got his marching orders for a
two-footed challenge on Gary Manson.
Forres Mechanics opened up a five-point lead at the top of
the table with a straightforward 3-0 away win against Lossiemouth on a day when
five matches – including those involving second-placed Cove Rangers and Nairn
County in third – fell victim to frozen pitches.
Kevin Duguid opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a
shot from the edge of the box. Lossie's Bryan Bell was dismissed for a
challenge on Duguid soon after the break and the Can-Cans made the most of
their numerical advantage, with Nathan Sharp getting their second after 65
minutes before Willie Barron rounded off the scoring on 78 minutes with a shot
that went in via a post.
Fort
William managed to play
their first home game for over two months, but despite taking the lead they
ended up on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline against Brora Rangers.
After a goalless first half, Fort went ahead with a superb
effort from Sean Ellis in the 48th minute. Gary Kerr got Brora level with a
header after 62 minutes and Fort suffered another blow immediately afterwards
when Michael Ellis was sent packing for a second yellow-card offence.
The visitors forged in front through Liam Baxter in the 79th
minute and the same player wrapped up the points in the last minute in
controversial circumstances, taking advantage of a bounce ball 30 yards from
goal and lobbing it over Stewart Gray and into the net.
A goal by Allan Hale on the stroke of half-time was enough
to give Fraserburgh a 1-0 victory over Buckie Thistle at Bellslea
Park, a result that lifted
the Broch into fourth place at the expense of their opponents.
The Jags had Mark Chisholm red-carded in injury time –
ensuring that there was a sending off in all four of Saturday's HFL games.
