Vale of Leithen’s wait for first win of new Lowland League season goes on

Vale of Leithen are still waiting for their first win of the new Scottish Lowland Football League season after being beaten 7-0 by Bo’ness United at home yesterday, July 31.
Vale of Leithen player-manager Chris Anderson in action against Bo'ness United (Photo: Bill McBurnie)Vale of Leithen player-manager Chris Anderson in action against Bo'ness United (Photo: Bill McBurnie)
Vale of Leithen player-manager Chris Anderson in action against Bo'ness United (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

Zander Miller and Tom Grant both scored hat-tricks for the visitors at Innerleithen’s Albert Park, with Stuart Hunter also getting on the scoresheet with a 58th-minute far-post shot from a Nick Locke corner.

Miller’s first was a ninth-minute penalty after Grant was brought down, his second was a close-range finish from a Jamie McCormack cross on 63 minutes and his third was a shot from a rebound after a McCormack effort from a corner was kept out one minute into added-on time.

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Grant’s first was a 13th-minute shot via the near post after being played in by Connor McMullan, his second was a 29th-minute header from a cross from the left and his third was a curling shot from distance on 75 minutes.

Calum Frain playing for Vale  of Leithen against Bo'ness United (Pic: Bill McBurnie)Calum Frain playing for Vale  of Leithen against Bo'ness United (Pic: Bill McBurnie)
Calum Frain playing for Vale of Leithen against Bo'ness United (Pic: Bill McBurnie)

That win takes Max Christie’s Bo’ness side up to seventh place, with seven points from five games.

Chris Anderson’s hosts remain rooted to the bottom of the league without a point from their first handful of games, having conceded 17 goals without reply.

Prior to yesterday, they’d lost 4-0 to Cumbernauld Colts and 2-0 to Gretna 2008 at home and 3-0 to Broomhill and 1-0 to East Stirlingshire away.

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It’s now over a year and a half since they last won a league game, that being a 3-1 away victory against Borders rivals Gala Fairydean Rovers at the end of December 2019.

French-born forward Elie Akobeto on the ball for Vale of Leithen against Bo'ness United (Pic: Bill McBurnie)French-born forward Elie Akobeto on the ball for Vale of Leithen against Bo'ness United (Pic: Bill McBurnie)
French-born forward Elie Akobeto on the ball for Vale of Leithen against Bo'ness United (Pic: Bill McBurnie)

Next up for them is a visit to Edinburgh’s Civil Service Strollers on Saturday, August 7, for their sixth league game, with a kick-off at 3pm. Strollers are currently second in the league, with 12 points from five games.

That’s followed by a trip to Perth’s Jeanfield Swifts for an East of Scotland Qualifying Cup tie on Wednesday, August 11, with kick-off at 7.30pm.