KEVIN JANIAK reports from Victoria Park

IT WAS back to the bad old days at Victoria Park on Saturday.

The rivalry between the two clubs has, in the past, boiled over into hostilities.

Over the last couple of years, these hostilities have mellowed into an uneasy truce, but unfortunately, Saturday saw a return to arms once again.

Gala opened the scoring in the fifth minute.

Jamie Gibson laid the ball off to Des Sutherland, who produced a lovely chip over Mark Wilson and into the net.

Vale probably had the best of the play in the first half, however, despite the lively Steven Notman causing most of the problems, they were not able to get the ball in the back of the net. And all Gala could add to their tally was a booking for Grant Gass for a tackle on Robbie Clark.

In the second half, Sutherland and Gibson continued to harass the home side.

Another Gala player – Paul Hossack – found his way into the referee's book after a late tackle on Gavin Tainsh.

Fairydean went two up in the 68th minute. Jay Wilson sent an inviting free kick into the area and Steven Noble headed it across the goalmouth. Gibson had a stab at it, but it deflected off his boot into the path of Sutherland, who headed it into the net.

Seven minutes later, all hell broke loose. Vale's Michael Osbourne showed his displeasure at being caught late in a Scott Mackenzie tackle by jumping on his back, putting him in a headlock and trying to unscrew his ears.

As referee Michael Scott turned his back to sort this out, a mass brawl broke out, as if it was just waiting to happen. At the end of it, Gala captain Shane Greene was booked, Vale's Chris Graham and Raymond Fleming were both shown red cards, and Gala co-manager Derek Hancock and his Vale counterpart Lindsay Rathie were both sent to the stand.

The duo who supplied the fuel for the melee escaped unscathed – except perhaps for sore ears – but the referee cannot be blamed as he was very much on his own.

With the home men down to nine men and Fairydean very much on top, there was only one way this one was going to end. Colin Riddell's excellent cross was met in the area by Gibson, who volleyed home a cracking third goal.

And with two minutes remaining, Sutherland completed his hat-trick with a sweet chip from a Gibson pass.

As time ran out, Gala's Jay Wilson was booked for a tackle on Osbourne, who was then booked for dissent. It was a fiery finish to a pressure-cooker game.

After the match, Rathie said: "It was simply embarrassing and it's not good enough. The discipline was shocking and it's not going to be tolerated at this club.

"If one or two players can't get themselves sorted out, then they will not be here in the future.

"I am not having this in my football team.

"It is a derby game, which is usually fiery, but that was embarrassing and I apologise to everyone who was here today.