Good night for Vale in title-race return

Deveronvale 3

Lossiemouth 1

WITH other results going their way, Deveronvale dragged themselves back into the title race with a 3-1 victory over Lossiemouth at Princess Royal Park

The Banffers had the better of the first half and they duly got their noses in front halfway through the period. Mike McKenzie, who began his career with Lossie, hammered home a 22-yard free kick which crashed into the top corner of the net before the Coasters keeper had a chance to move.

It was 2-0 to Vale in the 36th minute with Mark Smith rising to head home a Graeme Watt cross from the left to add to the hat-trick he netted in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

Lossie rallied after the break and immediately put their opponents under pressure. Both Martin McMullen and Stuart Strathdee went close before Shawn Scott pulled one back just three minutes after entering the fray.

Stuart Strathdee set him off and running and he showed Scott Fraser a clean pair of heels before jinking past James Blanchard and knocking it into the back of the net.

This seemed to awaken the home team who saw Scott Fraser and Chris Mountford both have efforts cleared off the line by Lossie defenders Sam Milton and John Urquhart respectively.

Graeme Watt then sprinted through on goals but with only the keeper to beat his low effort was brilliantly stopped by Craig Masterton.

However there was nothing the keeper could do to stop Stephen Gauld from adding a third just before the whistle.

Mike McKenzie played the ball through to the young sub who wriggled free of the last defender before firing home from 10 yards.