Vale of Leithen 1

Threave Rovers 2

David Knox at Victoria Park

SATURDAY’S dismal defeat against bottom side Threave proved to be the Victoria Park farewell for Scotland’s most successful non-league manager.

Just half an hour after the final whistle Micky Lawson was dismissed by the Innerleithen club.

The decision came a week after the veteran giant-killing manager suffered his worst ever defeat – a 7-0 hammering against Gala Fairydean Rovers.

Micky told us: “It is a results game and I fully understand the club’s decision.

“Because I don’t have the coaching badges needed for the Lowland League it was unlikely I was going to be the manager next season – I’m also away on holiday from tomorrow (Sunday) for ten days so it is understandable they want to move things forward.

“I will leave on good terms and hope this great little club will continue to do well in the Lowland League.”

It could have been a much brighter afternoon if Vale had taken their chances in the opening ten minutes.

Alan Flannagan headed Sean Elliot’s cross well wide from in front of goal.

And just five minutes later Elliot ran onto Adam Robertson’s through ball only to shoot tamely at the legs of keeper Martin McCauley.

The persistent rain and boggy playing surface didn’t allow for much in the way of football.

As the slippery stalemate headed towards half time Rovers made the breakthrough.

Shaun Milligan cut in from the right to force a good save from Andrew McQueen and Ben Irvine pounced on the loose ball to drill a low shot into the far corner.

Vale responded with a Liam McIntosh 25 yard shot on 52 minutes, which was saved by McCauley, and a Steven Lynch effort quarter of an hour later that was headed off the line by Scott Wilby.

But with only eight minutes remaining Threave sealed victory with a counter attack from their own box.

Irvine raced onto the long clearance and, despite having Lynch and James Elliot for company, hit a low speculative shot from 25 yards that skimmed beneath McQueen and into the net.

Keith McLeod steered Calum Jackson’s freekick beyond McCauley just three minutes later but Vale couldn’t find a second before the final whistle.

Vale chairman Jack Diamond told us: “The results haven’t been going for us. We had a shocking result against Gala and another shocking result today.

“We have decided to cut our ties with Micky today.

“The Lowland League rules state that our manager should have the appropriate badges and Micky wasn’t willing to do that so we knew he wasn’t going to be manager next season.

“We all like Micky and have the utmost respect for him but we decided this was time to make the change.”

Vale of Leithen. A McQueen, D McLeod, J Gill, S Lynch, J Elliot, A Hunter, L McIntosh, A Flanagan, A Robertson (C Moir 74), K McLeod & S Elliot (C Jackson 70).