Vale of Leithen up for cup and celebrating first win for ten months

Dean Burgess scored two goals for Vale of Leithen on Saturday to help secure their first victory since May last year (Pic: Vale of Leithen)

The Innerleithen outfit got the better of their hosts, formerly Craigroyston, at the capital’s St Mark’s Park by 4-1, thanks to goals from Jason Brydon on 12 minutes, Dean Burgess on 22 and 30 and Daniel Taylor from the penalty spot on 36, with Connor Dignan replying, also from the spot, on 28.

That was Vale’s first victory since they beat Blackburn United 3-0 at home at the start of last May in their penultimate match of the 2022/23 EoSFL premier division season en route to relegation to their current first division home.

So far this season, they’ve lost all 15 of their league games, plus three cup ties, but they’ll now be hoping they’ve turned a corner and can look forward to further victories at Victoria Park and beyond.

Vale were the only Borders EoSFL team to make it beyond the league cup’s first round at the weekend, with Coldstream, Peebles Rovers and Linton Hotspur going out.

Coldstream lost 1-0 away to Hutchison Vale on Friday night, with Joe Viola netting for their hosts 21 minutes in.

Fellow second division side Peebles were beaten 3-2 at home the day after by Arniston Rangers. Grant Wilson scored both of Rovers’ goals, just ahead of the hour mark and four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game, with Niall Kemp, Ben McManus and Ryan Moore on target for their visitors from Midlothian, on 30 minutes, 32 and 69 respectively.

Hotspur lost 6-0 at home to West Lothian’s Blackburn.

Fellow third division side Hawick Royal Albert’s scheduled first-round tie at Livingston United was postponed due to their prospective hosts’ pitch being waterlogged.

Albert return to action, on league duty, tonight, March 5, at home to Pumpherston Juniors, with kick-off at 8pm, as do Vale, hosting Heriot-Watt University, at 7.30pm.

This coming Saturday’s fixture card sees Vale away to Ormiston Primrose in the King Cup’s second round at 2.30pm and Coldstream, Peebles, Albert and Hotspur all at home in their respective leagues for games also kicking off at 2.30pm.

The Streamers host Burntisland Shipyard and Peebles are at home to Kennoway Star Hearts in the EoSFL’s second division, and Stoneyburn Juniors visit Hawick and Bathgate Thistle are on the road to West Linton in the third division.