Vale hold their nerve to retain Fleming Cup
Outgoing boss Kelly praises his players’efforts
Glenvale made it twoin- a- row by retaining the Fleming League Cup following a hard-fought 3-2 win over Glenburn.
In a feisty encounter at Johnstone Burgh’s Keanie Park, Glenvale had to be at their very best to force their way past their Paisley rivals.
It was Vale that started the brighter of the two teams and they were rewarded by a deadly header from Andy MacDonald to take an early lead.
Kamil Leszczynski rounded the Glenburn keeper to make it 2-0 not long after and with a wonder save from keeper Owen McCallum before half- time, the Vale goal remained unbreached come the referee’s half-time whistle.
Glenvale again started the better of the two sides in the second half but struggled to make their dominance pay in the early exchanges.
It appeared to have come back to bite them as Glenburn fought back to pull themselves back to within a goal.
But with 10 minutes to go a corner into the Glenburn box came off of a Glenburn player before going into the back of the net to make it 3-1.
Their rivals scored late on to pull another back to 3-2 but another wonderful save from keeper McCallum made sure Vale were crowned the champions again.
Outgoing gaffer John Kelly, who is set to take up the reins at junior side St Anthony’s, said: “These boys deserve this as they have had so many ups and down this season, they can be proud of retaining the cup we won last year. We now prepare for another final.”