Dalbeattie Star v Vale of Leithen

 
STAR DRAW IN SUNSHINE ON LEITHEN  
Star opened up the 2016/17 league campaign with a hard earned point at Victoria Park. Despite having taken the lead, over the balance of play it was probably a point gained for Star rather than two dropped. They started the game well and had the better of the first period but the home side came out strongly for the second half and pinned Star in for long spells and to be fair they looked the more likely team to grab a winner.
Star lined up in their unfamiliar away strip with Steven Degnan the only casualty and he will be missing for the next few weeks having undergone a recent operation. The visitors were very comfortable on the ball and had the better of the possession in the opening period but without ever looking like they would worry the home defence too much. However if they could have pushed themselves  another 20 or 30 yards further up the park then they would have been more of a threat. The first chance came as early as the 4th minute when a careless pass near the halfway line allowed Vale to hit on the break but Keith McLeod uncharacteristically sliced his effort well wide. In the 17th minute Vinnie Parker was the first keeper to be called into action when he tipped a shot over the bar from Robbie Manson. By now Star were spreading the ball about well but home keeper Andrew McQueen was relatively untroubled. However in the 27th minute Star had their first effort on goal and it resulted in McQueen picking the ball out of the net. Lewis Sloan played a corner back to Connor Graham at the edge of the box and his first time shot was deflected to Iain Anderson who took a good first touch before passing the ball low into the net from 12 yards. It was an accomplished finish from the striker and is hopefully the first of many in a Star jersey.
The visitors were now on top and six minutes later went close to doubling their lead when good pressing by Sloan and Danny Dunglinson saw them steal possession and the former fired narrowly wide. Seven minutes from the break another debutant James Baty hobbled off holding his hamstring and Lewis Todd came on. The home side started the second half strongly but Star broke away and keeper McQueen produced a fine fingertip save to knock Jamie McHarrie’s shot wide for a corner. However two minutes later Jay Steven’s should have equalised for Vale but somehow headed wide from close range. Just before the hour McLeod had a good turn and shot but Parker saved well. However in the 62nd minute the goal the home side had been threatening to score arrived. Substitute Blair Atkinson with virtually his first touch of the match played McLeod through but his first touch took him wide of goal but he showed his strikers instinct by sneaking his shot past Parker from a tight angle and into the net. There were some vain appeals for offside by the Star defence but the goal was given.
Star responded well to this set back and within a minute McQueen produced a fine save to keep out Graham’s effort. However the home side were back on the attack and Manson had a good chance but flicked the ball wide and ten minutes from time McLeod had another good effort which Parker tipped over. To be fair Star were not settling for a point and twice came close in the last five minutes to snatching the points. Lee Wells did well to meet Graham’s corner but his powerful header flew narrowly over the bar and in the last minute Tommy Muir had a header that was kept out by a full length save by McQueen and the points were shared.
In the end Star could have few complaints about taking a point away as it has to be said Vale looked the more likely team to win. However there were many promising signs from the visitors and the more the players play together the more they will gel and the better they will get. Normally pre-season is the time for the players to get to know each other but with the players all having had their holidays now, this was the first time they had all played together.
Next up is our first home match of the season with Cumbernauld Colts coming to Islecroft. They lost 3-1 at home to Gretna, so will be coming desperate to get their campaign up and running.
Vale of Leithen 1   Dalbeattie Star 1
McLeod (62)          Anderson (27)
VALE OF LEITHEN: McQueen, Scott-Mercer, Brady, Boyes, Elliot, Hunter, Stewart (McIntosh 66), Manson, Stevens, McLeod, Patterson (Aitkinson 61)                                                                                                    
Subs not used: Underhill, McGregor, Lynch, Common, Shiel                                                                        DALBEATTIE STAR: Parker, Wilson, Thorburn, Dunglinson (Fergusson 81), Maxwell, Wells, Graham, Baty (Todd 38), Anderson, Sloan (Muir 66), McHarrie                                                                                                   
Subs not used: Fyfe, Proudlock, Mason, Trialist  
Ref: G Calder
Assistants: J Brown & E Hingant