Cup win for Vale
Published 22 Mar 2011 10:00
VALE progressed to the last 16 of the West of Scotland Cup and, in doing so, chalked up their first home win since October.
Star of the show was veteran striker Hugh Ward who came off the bench to grab a second half hat-trick that saw him draw level with John Filshie as the club's top scorer with 124 goals from his 349 appearances.
Vale's injury-ravaged squad was down to the bare bones and they got off to a disastrous start when the visitors opened the scoring after seven minutes when
James McGill struck a sweet shot into the net from the edge of the area following a corner on the left.
The Millburn men began to create chances and they drew level after 25 minutes when Ryan Russell crossed from the left and Alan Gourlay crept in and stabbed the ball into the net from six yards. Vale were well on top but they received a blow after 41 minutes when Russell had to leave the field with what turned out to be cracked ribs, allowing Hugh Ward to enter the proceedings.
A minute later and Vale deservedly took the lead. Jack Buchanan's run was halted illegally on the edge of the area and up stepped Alan Brown to fire a low shot into the far corner of the net.
Within two minutes Albert were level when McGill grabbed his second goal of the afternoon after he controlled the ball with his arm before striking a low shot past Grindlay from 14 yards.
To Vale's credit they went on the attack and regained the lead four minutes into the second half when David McNaught surged forward evading three challenges and from his cut-back Hugh Ward slid into steer the ball into the net from six yards.
In the 51st minute Graeme McKenzie's run was impeded and from Alan Brown's free kick on the left Kenny Wilson saw his header cleared off the line.
But David McNught smashed the rebound high into the net to give Vale a two-goal margin. On the hour mark Alan Gourlay netted comfortably after a piece of magic from Ward created the chance.
Hugh Ward then wrapped up proceedings with a quick-fire double in the 86th and 87th minutes to bring him his three goals that he had been waiting months for to earn him man of the match.
This week Vale are away from home when they travel to take on Thorniewood United at Robertson Park. The bus will leave Gilmour Street at 11.30am.
Vale: Grindlay; Wilson, Lacy, McKenzie; Gourlay, Brown, Buchanan, Filshie, Russell (Ward 42), McNaught, Bowie.
This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 22 Mar 11
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