The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Ballard and Dunbar at double for five-star Vale
DEVERONVALE FORTWILLIAM 5 0
Deveronvale went on a second-half scoring spree to dump 10-man Fort William at Princess Royal Park, Banff, last night.
The win sees Vale finish the season in eighth place in the Highland League, 21 points better off than last term.
Regular Fort goalkeeper Martin MacKinnon was back for the visitors, with Stephen Lopez taking up his usual midfield position after deputising for the custodian in the 12-goal defeat at Formartine on Saturday.
Grant Noble forced MacKinnon into a smart diving save in the 10th minute before Lopez tested Vale keeper Errol Watson with a curling 25-yard free kick four minutes later.
Vale missed a glorious chance to open the scoring in the 20th minute after Lewis Dunbar
“Vale missed a glorious chance to score in the 20th minute”
was brought down in the box by Lewis Campbell but the Banff club’s leading scorer Dane Ballard blasted the spot kick against the outside of the post. Dunbar was causing Fort problems with his strong running on the right.
Fort were reduced to 10 men five minutes after the break when full-back Lewis Campbell picked up a second yellow card and the visitors resistance was broken two minutes later when Dunbar’s ball into the box was swept home from a couple of yards by Ballard for his 25th goal of the season.
Vale doubled their advantage after 55 minutes when Dunbar swept home a 14-yard volley. It was 3-0 on the hour when Noble blasted home from eight yards as Fort crumbled.
Ballard made it four after 69 minutes with the aid of a Michael Dunn deflection and Dunbar completed Vale’s nap hand in the dying seconds.