With just goal difference separating the teams in the Highland League this should have been an even encounter, but Deveronvale turned in a powerful second-half display to rout their visitors and move above them in the standings.
A goal from Kevin Souter was the highlight of a first half of few chances but after Gary Harris netted Vale’s second in the 58th minute the Banffers went on to add further goals from Craig Simpson, Ross Aitken, Souter again and Nathan Ross, with Gordon Morrison grabbing Clach’s sole crumb of comfort from the spot.
Vale manager Steve Dolan was thrilled and said: “The win was the biggest thing as Clach started by far the better team and we got through a ropey first 15 minutes.
“Once we got the goal that seemed to settle us down.
“In the second half we played probably the best football since I returned here and it was good to see we kicked on. Although we gave away a sloppy penalty, some of our attacking play was different class while the goals we scored were good.”
Clach manager Iain Polworth said the better team won: “Their second-half performance bullied us and they were stronger. We showed a real lack of passion and it is hurting me. I hope it is hurting the players. We can’t go on defending in this way, gifting teams goals. They didn’t have to work hard for their first two goals and after that we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.”
Vale opened the scoring through a fine Souter 14-yard angled drive after 21 minutes, but it was not until the 58th minute when Harris scored from the edge of the box that Vale turned the screw.
Simpson scored direct from a corner six minutes later after goalkeeper Errol Watson misjudged the flight of the ball but Clach had a moment of hope on 66 minutes when Lucas Krobot needlessly conceded a penalty for a push on Morrison which the captain scored. Substitute Aitken cracked a 16-yard drive beyond Watson to restore Vale’s three-goal advantage in the 69th minute with Souter grabbing his second of the afternoon with a superb 25-yard effort nine minutes later.
Ross came on and with just five minutes remaining he raced away from a Clach defender before finishing in style from 15 yards as Watson came out to narrow the angle.