Deveronvale got the win their manager Craig Stewart desired but they did it the hard way against Lossiemouth.
Vale lost a two-goal lead before claiming a 3-2 win after Lossie’s Ross Morrison’s attempted clearance looped over goalkeeper Logan Ross from substitute Kyle Mackillop Hall’s cross two minutes from time.
Horace Ormsby had hit the post for Vale early on before the striker grabbed the opener after 21 minutes when he fired home from close range.
Michael Watson put the visitors 2-0 up five minutes later as he rounded a defender and netted with a low shot.
Lossie forced their way back into the game ten minutes from the break when Fraser Forbes nodded home a Ross Elliot cross.
Vale were annoyed not to have been awarded penalties in the first half as Matt Jamieson twice went down in the box under heavy challenges but their loud appeals were turned down by referee Alan Proctor.
From being in control of the game Vale were pushed back in the second half and the home side levelled on the hour mark when Elliot fired a fine effort into the top corner from a Ryan Stuart cross.
Lossie looked for a winner but it was Vale who grabbed the vital third goal two minutes from time as Morrison found his own net with an attempted clearance.
FT whistle just blown and Final Score is Lossie 2-3 Vale …. Absolutely fantastic result for the lads!!! 3 Valuable Points Away from Home … Well Done Lads!!! 👏👏👏🔴⚪️🔴 @ Grant Park, Lossiemouth https://t.co/zBY78ipT2G
— Deveronvale Football Club (@DeveronvaleFC) November 19, 2022
Vale boss Stewart felt his decision to rest key players for a midweek Aberdeenshire Shield quarter-final against Buckie Thistle – which the Jags won 9-1 – was vindicated as he said his team needed all the energy they could muster to get over the line in the second half.
He said: “After getting a great start scoring twice and being denied two stonewall penalties which could have seen us with a better advantage it was a tough second half.
“You have to credit Lossie for that but we were determined.
“Over the 90 minutes I think we just deserved the win even although we were a bit fortunate with our third goal.
“We were due a break and that little bit of luck as we have had very little this season.
“Credit to my team as we were very good in the first half and then in the second half we showed a different side to our game, having to dig in and show grit to get the win.”
Teams for today… pic.twitter.com/OPXEbogZGY
— Lossiemouth FC (@lossiemouthfc) November 19, 2022
Lossiemouth assistant manager Ian Campbell said: “We showed a lot of character to come back into the game, especially in the second half.
“We need to stop giving teams a two-goal start as it leaves us with a mountain to climb.
“When we got back level I could only see one winner and even when we lost the late goal we still had good chances to level through Adam MacLeod and Dean Stewart in injury time.
“For Vale’s winner we think the free kick decision was soft but we now have to move on as we have a tough run of games coming up.”
Strathspey Thistle 0-2 Formartine United
Formartine United manager Stuart Anderson was pleased to get the better of Strathspey Thistle and see Graeme Rodger get back on the scoresheet.
The Pitmedden side won 2-0 at Seafield Park courtesy of Julian Wade’s penalty and Rodger’s strike.
The latter has been injured for most of the season and Anderson said: “It was a frustrating afternoon for us.
“We missed chances, but I’d be more concerned if we weren’t creating chances.
“It was good to get three points away from home.
“It’s like a new signing for us having Graeme coming back.
“He came on last week and did well and he did the same against Strathspey.
“There’s not too much I can say about Graeme because he’s been an outstanding player for the club over a number of years.”
It took Formartine until the 70th minute to make the breakthrough with Wade converting from the spot after referee Gordon Seago ruled James McShane had brought down Wade.
However, the Grantown Jags felt there had been a foul on Liam Taylor in the lead-up to the penalty award.
Rodger’s low finish from the edge of the area with 10 minutes left secured the points for United, although Wade had a second penalty – after a foul on Aidan Combe – saved by goalkeeper Oliver Kelly late on.
Strathspey boss Charlie Brown said: “We played really well, we kept Formartine at bay for long spells of the game.
“It’s disappointing to lose 2-0 but I was pleased with how the boys performed.
“It took a penalty to give them the breakthrough and we felt we should have had a free-kick in the build up.
“In the first half I felt we could have had a penalty for handball but Gordon said he didn’t see it which was disappointing.”
Three league matches were postponed due to the wet weather across the north of Scotland. The matches between Keith and Wick Academy and Rothes and Nairn County were called off on Friday while Turriff’s home match against Brora was postponed on Saturday morning.
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