New midfielder’s arrival more than makes up for points blow, says Vale of Leithen chief

Sunny McGrath in action for Vale of Leithen during their 3-1 defeat at Crossgates Primrose in November (Pic: David Wilson)

Vale of Leithen might have have had their only points so far of the current East of Scotland Football League premier division season chalked off but that’s a price worth paying for securing the services of new recruit Sunny McGrath, according to the club’s general manager, Bobby Craigie.

The Innerleithen club have been slapped with a three-point deduction by the Scottish Football Association for fielding an ineligible player, midfielder McGrath, as a trialist during their 3-1 defeat at Fife’s Crossgates Primrose in mid-November.

That sanction has hit interim manager Joe Murray’s side especially hard as they only had three points on the board – courtesy of a 2-0 home victory against another Fife side, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, at the end of September – putting them back to square one, propping up the table without any points from their opening 16 games and, as things stand, five wins away from safety.

They’ve still got 14 games left to go and 42 points to play for so all hope is not yet lost, reckons Craigie.

Vale of Leithen goalkeeper Chris Burt, seen here in action versus Crossgates Primrose last month, had to go off with an eye injury against Penicuik Athletic last night (Pic: David Wilson)

“Losing three points is a bit of a blow but the good thing is the guy that caused it has now signed for us for 18 months,” he said.

“Is it worth three points to get Sunny signed? The answer’s definitely yes.”

McGrath was previously at Scottish Highland Football League side Buckie Thistle but needed to find a new club after moving south to study sport science at Edinburgh University.

Vale signed off for 2022 with a 4-0 defeat at Penicuik Athletic last night, a fixture brought forward from Hogmanay at the Midlothian side’s request, after being left a man short by Liam Smith’s 51st-minute red card for denying home forward Aaron Somerville a goal-scoring opportunity.

Vale of Leithen losing 3-1 at Crossgates Primrose in November (Pic: David Wilson)

Their hosts’ goals were scored by Somerville 24 minutes in, Taylor Hendry in first-half stoppage time, Sean Melvin on 50 minutes and Cammy Fraser on 76.

Smith’s sending-off wasn’t the Borderers’ only misfortune on the night either as goalkeeper Chris Burt had to go off half an hour ahead of the final whistle after sustaining an eye injury, with reserve centre-half Conor Barclay stepping in to replace him.

“I thought we played well,” said Craigie. “Over the piece, I thought we weren’t too bad for the team we had out. We had a few guys missing.”

Next up for Vale is a visit from Crossgates on Saturday, January 7, with kick-off at 2.30pm.