Deveronvale 6 Lossiemouth 0: Coasters are battered in Banff
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
LOSSIEMOUTH manager Joe Russell is in the strange position of preparing his squad for a return to Banff this weekend – for a rematch against a Deveronvale side who beat them 6-0 on Saturday.
'Vale were too strong for a below-par Lossie side at Princess Royal Park in the Highland League – crushing the Coasters by six goals in what was expected to be a tight affair.
But Lossie, who ended the match with ten men, have the chance to put things right instantly in the Highland League Cup.
Russell said: "The players know themselves that it wasn't good enough and that they can perform better.
"We aren't where we are in the table because we won a raffle prize – we are there because we earned it.
"We have got a chance next week to return to Banff and show 'Vale what we are all about.
"I'm convinced we will do better at the weekend, but the defeat is a sore one to take."
Before kick-off on Saturday, there was just one point separating Deveronvale and Lossiemouth in the table – but that wasn't evident on the park.
The hosts started the brighter of the two sides and right-back Ross Aitken's threat was evident from the off.
On 16 minutes, he whipped an inch-perfect cross into the box which Grant Noble should have put away – but headed wide.
It was Lossiemouth who were first to put the ball in the net, though, when Ryan Sewell slotted away on 25 minutes – only to be, correctly, denied by the linesman's belated flag.
'Vale took the lead on 34 minutes when Aitken got to the byline and drilled a perfect ball across the box for Matt Jamieson to knock in at the back post.
The lead was almost short-lived but Ryan Stuart's back post header was well saved by Sean McIntosh in the Vale net.
Right on the stroke of half-time, Aitken was involved again as he played a neat one-two with Grant Noble to reach the byline and fire an almost identical ball across goal, this time for Dane Ballard to score from close range.
There was no let up whatsoever in the second period and it was 3-0 within five minutes. Noble's well-judged through ball found Michael Watson bearing down on goal and he slotted in across Lossie keeper Logan Ross.
Matt Jamieson grabbed his second of the day just after the hour mark – with a superb touch and finish coming in from the left-hand side, before Lossie were reduced to ten men when Ryan Farquhar saw red for an off-the-ball incident.
There was little let up versus the ten men. Logan Ross did well to deny Matthew Wallace a goal, but the resultant corner was taken by Kyle Willox and bundled in from close range by Innes McKay at the back post.
The rout was complete three minutes from time when substitutes Jamie Tinnock and Rory Davidson combined, with the latter's shot being knocked in by Dane Ballard from on the goal line.
Joe Russell added: "'Vale put us on the back foot right from the off. Ross (Aitken), down the right-hand side was causing us no end of problems and we couldn't deal with that all day.
"We had four guys up against him and he caused all four of them a headache.
"We had a wee spell where we had the goal chalked off and the keeper had a great save from Ryan Stuart's header – but we weren't at the races.
"I said a few weeks ago we were Jekyll and Hyde and that was the bad side of us. Across the pitch we weren't good enough."
Lossiemouth will be without the suspended Ryan Farquhar for their Banff return, while Dean Stewart limped off early on in the match.
