17/11/2024
❕FULL TIME❕
⚽️VALE COLTS 1-3 CROWN INN⚽️
Goal Scorer: L. MCMURRAY
A blustery but mild evening in Ayrshire was the setting for The Young Vale Colts first game under the charge of new head coach Thomas McDonald.
The friendly match was against local team ‘The Crown Inn AFC’ who play in the ‘Ayrshire Sunday Amateur Football League’ and was played at Greenwood Academy the home of Crown Inn.
Eager to impress the newly formed Colts had the better of the opening 15 minutes, but clear cut chances at either end were limited. However, against the run of play, a defensive mix up in the Colts midfield allowed Crown their first real opportunity of the half. It was all they needed, Inns right winger capitalised on the confusion and broke free crossing the ball along the Colts six yard line where it was dispatched with a crisp finish from the homesides forward.
With their tails now up, Crown pushed for a second and only some good defending and fine goalkeeping by the Colts young stopper Jake Berry kept the score at just the one. But, continuing pressure from the homeside led to a rare corner. The blustery conditions played thier part, as the ball bounced awkwardly several times in the Colts box before eventually falling to an Inn attacker to prod home for thier second.
Then came the two major talking points of the opening forty five. Both incidents could and most probably should have resulted in red cards for the homeside. A ball from the midfield destined to land at the feet of young Colts striker Lewis, who was through on Inns goal. However, it was inexplicably pulled out of the air by Inns 6ft 9 stopper, to the cries of almost every Colts player and staff. Any other game outwith a friendly match, its a red card, yellow was the card shown; to the disbelief and frustration of the Vale players and manager.
Fuelled by a sense of in-justice, the young Vale side piled on the pressure, with Vale striker Jordan Seath passing up to glaring opportunities before the second incident of controversy, a reckless lunge on one of the Vale players led to more howls of anguish from the Vale, as before yellowcard shown by the Ayrshire referee.
The second half was keenly contested, with the Vale getting the better of the homeside. This continued pressure led to a freekick 20 yards from Crowns goal. Lewis McMurray who had went close in the first half stepped up and delivered a stunning strike into the top corner of the Inns net 2-1.
Vale sensing an opportunity upped the tempo immediately after the goal and looked to have the homeside on the back foot. But, a long ball clearance from Inns defence suddenly had the Vale scrambling. An almost carbon copy of Inns first goal, a mistake in the Vales defence allowed the homeside attack to pounce 3-1.
The Vale continued to press in search for another goal, but the homeside stood resolute, seeing out the match for the victory.
Vale coach McDonald said: "I thought the score flattered them slightly. The two possible red cards would have changed the game. But, we were a little nieve in our defending and decision making at times. Overall, I'm very proud of my boys. That was an established side playing in a very strong Ayrshire league and are well into thier season. But I felt we were more than a match for them. I'm confident the boys will have learned a lot from tonights game and we will move on positively for the future".
