Blantyre 0 Rossvale 1: Forbes goal earns the points
The visitors started brightly with former Vics player Gary Griffin was out to prove a few doubters wrong and his mazy run down the right and cross would only be the start of what turned out to be a very good performance by Vale’s number 10.
However Vale had keeper Jamie Donnelly to thank in the 22nd minute for a tremendous save from Lewis McLear to keep them level.
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Hide AdThe visitors were unhappy four minutes later when Vics keeper Scott Law was shown only a yellow for a last-man foul on Greg Fernie.
Peter Bradley’s free-kick cannoned off the wall for a corner from which Jamie Hunter headed Kirk Forbes’s delivery over the bar.
Nadeem Zeb did have the ball in the Rossvale net but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside and the interval arrived goalless.
After the break Griffin continued to cause his old side problems and on the hour Rossvale got their reward.
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Hide AdGriffin’s cross was collected by Steven Seaton who played the ball back across the six-yard box and Forbes nicked in to fire past the hesitant keeper.
Ross Caldwell fired a shot just wide as the home side tried to hit back and the Blantyre man then slotted the ball home only for the home side to again be denied by the offside flag.
As the home side’s frustration grew they were reduced to nine men in the closing stages. Caldwell was red-carded for firing the ball straight at Anton McDowall after Vale were awarded a throw-in and Lewis McLear, already booked, immediately followed when he was shown a second yellow card for dissent.
Vale then saw out the remaining minutes to claim the victory.
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Hide AdBrian McGinty’s men take a break from league action this week when they face Central First Division rivals Greenock in the first round of the Scottish Junior Cup. Kick-off at New Huntershill is 2.30pm.