VALE CAN STILL BEAT THE DROP

0 - 0 • Published 19 May 2009 11:00

Boss Hugh Hamill reckons to go down would be criminal

VALE boss Hugh Hamill reckons it would be 'criminal' if his side were to slip back into the bottom tier of the Junior game.

The gaffer watched his side bounce back from a heavy 3-0 away defeat against Thorniewood to record a vital win over Yoker Athletic at the weekend.

This drags Yoker back into the mire and means a result against promotion chasing Ashfield tomorrow (Wednesday) in their final match of the season could save Vale"s skins.

It would still leave them hoping fellow strugglers Johnstone Burgh fail to pick up the necessary tally in their games in hand.

But boss Hamill believes his side should never have landed themselves in this mess in the first place.

He said: 'I still think we are in a position we should not be in, not in a million miles.

'It would be criminal if we got relegated and the only motivation the players need is the thought of playing in the Second Division again.

'If we can stay up then I think you will see us in a much higher position next year. When the chips were down, we played well against Yoker and got the result we needed.

'There was no room for any negative thoughts or nerves, the boys were told just to go out and play and if we are good enough it will be, if not we will go down. We now need just a point to go above Yoker, but ideally we want all three. We definitely need to stay up and there is still everything to play for.'

Hamill"s side fell a goal behind at Holm Park on Saturday, but a second half revival ensured the Millburn men"s fate will go right to the wire.

Half-time sub David McNaught won a penalty converted by Mark Pawsey for his 17th goal of the season on 52 minutes.

Two minutes later, Jack Buchanan scored from the left-hand edge of the box, with Yoker"s Scott Cameron sent packing for his protests for an offside decision in the build up.

Sub Gordon Martin passed up a great chance to seal the result, winning then missing a penalty, but he made amends with 10 minutes to go, finishing well after he latched onto a long kick by keeper Matt Carr.

Hamill added: 'For most of the season the performances have been okay, but I have been looking at the stats and our biggest failing is we have not been able to score enough goals.

'We have murdered teams football-wise, but not converted our chances. Take Mark Pawsey out of the equation and the next top scorer is on eight.

'Our strikers have a handful of goals each and if we had another of the forwards scoring in the same way as Pawsey, we would not be in this position.

'To be fair, the boys have not at any stage thrown in the towel. We"ve given ourselves a fighting chance of staying up.'

Vale: Carr, Wilson, Lacy (c), Cavana, Gourlay, Buchanan, Grant, Drain (McKenzie 86), Wilson (Martin 65), Ward (McNaught 45), Pawsey. Sub not used: Ross.

 Vale of Leven v Ashfield, tomorrow (Wednesday), kick-off 7.15pm.

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 19 May 09

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