Last Saturday’s match against Deveronvale was a rather low key affair.
Vale are a shadow of the team which was challenging regularly at the top end of the table a few years ago and they posed little threat to Locos.
After Andy Hunter fired the visitors ahead within 60 seconds and captain Neil McLean thumped in a second from outside the box, there was only one outcome.
Locos missed several good chances to extend their lead, but even when Scott Fraser pulled one back before half-time Vale looked lacklustre and Locos comfortable.
The unfortunate injury to Craig Cowie midway through the first-half disrupted the flow of the game. And after McCabe and Ross extended Locos’ advantage to 4-1 early in the second period the game again degenerated as a spectacle.
David Thomson who covered for my holiday break last weekend made a good point when he observed the relatively young age of this Locos’ side.
The average age of the 11 who completed the Banks o’ Dee Aberdeenshire Cup semi-final win in midweek was under 22. As far as the league is concerned the current squad needs to gain experience this year, but I wouldn’t bet against them lifting a cup. Mark Souter played well and would benefit from an extended run and new signing Stephen Jeffrey from Formartine made a solid debut at right-back.
The experienced David Ross caught the eye with his performance and lobbed goal, but it was his tenacity and persistence out wide left and his excellent cross for Joe McCabe to head the third goal that was the telling point of the game. Neil McLean had a poor game by his standards, but it was a measure of both his ability and experience that he still contributed such a wonderful goal.
There was something not quite right at Princess Royal Park on Saturday and it took me a while to realise what it was. Where on earth were the “Chuff-Chuffs”?