Deveronvale manager Craig Stewart reckons the loan signing of Kyle Dalling will bolster their backline.
The 21-year-old defender joined the Banffers on a temporary deal from Huntly for the rest of the season prior to Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Clachnacuddin at Princess Royal Park.
Although Dalling didn’t feature in the stalemate with the Lilywhites – which was played in terrible conditions – Stewart is looking forward to seeing him in action.
He said: “One of the reasons we’ve taken him in is to try to stop us conceding as many goals.
“But we’ve now kept two clean sheets in a row so Kyle might have to bide his time to get in.
“I’m sure once he gets in he’ll take his chance, he also gives us a different option in terms of what we do along the backline.
“It’s good to have Kyle on board and hopefully it works out for all parties.”
Paterson steps in
Clach also had a new face in their ranks with 17-year-old goalkeeper Corey Paterson signed on an emergency loan from Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
The Lilywhites had four custodians unavailable and player-boss Conor Gethins said: “Thankfully Caley Thistle helped us out and hopefully we can have Corey for the next game as well.
“I thought he did really well, his kicking is really good, he gave me a few flutters when he was so chilled out on the ball, but I don’t mind that.
“He held the ball well so we were delighted.”
Sides can’t be separated
The encounter at Princess Royal Park was the only one of eight Breedon Highland League fixtures to beat the weather.
Although Banff missed the worst of the snow, persistent rain and a wind that strengthened as the match went on made for tricky conditions for the players.
Clach started the brighter with Troy Cooper having an effort saved by Sean McIntosh before Connor Bunce shot wide from 12 yards after good work on the right flank by Shaun Sutherland.
Playing with the wind at their backs Deveronvale then came into the contest and carved out a good opening midway through the first period.
Harry Noble’s cross from the left found Jack Mitchell at the back post and his effort was hacked off the line by Millar Gamble, then Jamie MacLellan’s follow-up strike was deflected wide.
Before the first half was over Bunce had a goal disallowed for offside and home defender Aaron Hamilton headed wide from Noble’s free-kick.
Conditions worsened after the interval and chances were in short supply, although the effort of both sides couldn’t be faulted.
In the 77th minute Clach were close to the elusive breakthrough when Zach MacPhee’s inswinging, wind-assisted, corner from the right crashed back off the left post.
Vale scrambled the ball away, but when Cooper sent it back into the danger area Gamble side-footed wide from close range.
The hosts had the last chance with five minutes left, but Noble’s curler from 15 yards was straight at Paterson.
Bosses have differing takes
Deveronvale move above Keith into 15th, while Clach remain 17th.
Gethins added: “The weather destroyed it, but we should have won it if I’m being honest.
“It was an important game, we drummed into the players the importance of it.
“But we didn’t capitalise, we could have gone level with Deveronvale if we’d won and then we’d have been playing Wick next week just a point behind them.
“That’s where my disappointment is. It’s a point gained, but it’s also three points lost and that’s disappointing.”
Reflecting on a second successive 0-0 draw, Stewart said: “Conditions were the winner really, but fair play to both teams who tried to make a game of it in extremely difficult conditions.
“It’s the second week in a row where the final third has let us down which is disappointing.
“A draw is maybe about right over the piece. It’s not the worst point for us, we were looking to get a win, but that’s two clean sheets in a row, even if they have been two 0-0s.
“The clean sheets are the positive, I thought our attacking play was quite good, but we’re not getting the end product.
“We know what we’ll be doing at training this week and what we need to work on.”
