​Second win of season lifts Vale of Leithen off foot of East of Scotland Football League’s division two

​Peebles Rovers also won at the weekend, seeing off West Lothian’s Harthill Royal by 2-1 at home to put a bit more distance between themselves and the division’s relegation zone.

Though still 13th in the 15-team table, new manager Stuart Smith’s Rovers, with 11 points from as many fixtures, are now five clear of the two-team danger zone, up from three at kick-off.

Vale – 1-0 winners on the road at the weekend at Stenhousemuir’s Ochilview Park, thanks to a goal from Kyle Mitchell a minute ahead of the final whistle – are now second from bottom, on six points from 11 games, Harthill having taken their place at the foot of the standings, on five from 12.

Scott Inglis and Gregor Lamb scored Peebles’ goals at their Whitestone Park home ground, on 53 minutes and 61 respectively, with Daniel Strickland getting one back for their visitors three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game.

The region’s other representatives in the second division, Coldstream, were also in action, losing 3-0 away to third-placed Bathgate Thistle.

Their West Lothian hosts’ goals were scored by Finlay MacKay, Jordan Devine from the penalty spot and Zac Mooney.

That loss, their fifth of the campaign, sees the Streamers drop three places to tenth, on 15 points from a dozen fixtures.

Both of the Borders’ EoSFL third division sides were playing on Saturday too, Linton Hotspur winning 5-0 at home to West Lothian’s Stoneyburn and Hawick Royal Albert drawing 1-1 away to Fife’s Newburgh Juniors.

Hotspur’s scorers at their New Moor Road home ground in West Linton were Josh Philp at the double, Martin Woods, Jack Furness and Steven Tait.

Albert’s sole goal was put away by Stephen Anderson just ahead of half-time, with Logan Whyte equalising for their hosts just after the restart.

Those results leave the Royalists second to table-toppers Lochgelly Albert and they’re now on 20 points from a dozen games.

Hotspur move up one place to third, on 19 points from nine matches.

This coming Saturday’s fixture card sees Vale and Coldstream at home, to fourth-placed Edinburgh College at Innerleithen’s Victoria Park and Fife’s sixth-placed Burntisland Shipyard at Home Park respectively, and Peebles away to the 11th-placed Stirling students.

A division down, Hotspur host Newburgh and Hawick are away to Fauldhouse United.

Vale and Coldstream’s games kick off at 2.30pm, Rovers’ at 3pm and Hotspur and Albert’s at 2pm.