Vale of Leithen 1

Whitehill Welfare 0

South Region Challenge Cup round three

By Kenny Paterson at Victoria Park

REMAINING in the Lowland League is the priority at Victoria Park, but Vale of Leithen manager Chris Anderson believes cup success could aid their survival hopes.

Vale edged past Whitehill Welfare to make the quarter finals of the South Region Challenge Cup thanks to Sean Stewart’s eighth goal of the season.

It was an ugly game with the heavy Victoria Park pitch and driving, freezing rain playing its part.

But the win was sweet for Anderson’s men, coming just days after Whitehill were allowed to keep hold of the points from a 4-3 win over Vale in December, despite admitting to administrative errors related to their teamsheet that day.

Anderson said: “We knew it would be a difficult game against Whitehill as both of our previous games this season had been close.

“But I felt we deserved the win. The conditions were not ideal but it was about working hard and battling to go through.

“I think this cup run can help us. It means our players will get used to winning games and scoring goals and that will help our league run in.”

Ex-Spartans man Stewart has been a stand-out for Vale this season, and proved the difference again on Saturday.

He was immediately involved in creating the first chance as his deep cross found Liall Smith but he was unable to find the net from an acute angle.

Craig McBride went even closer when his front post header from a Kerr Allan free kick was scrambled behind by Welfare keeper Ross Jardine, with Allan blasting wide from the resultant corner.

The early stages of the first half was end to end without containing much quality, highlighted by an opportunity for Whitehill’s Darren McCraw who was clean through only to hit a poor shot which was saved by Ross Gilpin.

Stewart was far more decisive on 15 minutes. Good work by Allan set up Liall Smith whose low cross found Stewart completely unmarked to score from six yards out.

Welfare had their two best chances to get back into the tie within minutes of the second half getting under way, but James McPartlin firstly saw his effort saved by Gilpin before Josh Morris uncharacteristically fired over from a decent position.

Robbie Carter somehow missed when left unmarked from eight yards out but Whitehill created little else, and Vale stood firm to make the last eight – with Welfare’s Craig Reid sent off in the closing stages for a second yellow card.

Vale of Leithen: R Gilpin, A Lewis (C Dawson 69), T Patterson, A Smith, S Lynch, C McBride (A Hunter 53), L Smith, B Raiker, J Finnie (S Alexander 58), K Allan, S Stewart.