Kelso United 0
Vale of Leithen 0
(aet – Vale won 5-4 on penalties)
KING CUP ROUND TWO
GEORGE RILEY reports from Woodside Park
KELSO United exited the King Cup, but only after a spirited display against Premier Division rivals Vale of Leithen.
The visitors started the stronger and saw a half chance go just over the bar when striker Wayne Sproule latched onto a ball from the back.
Vale’s Andy Martin fired wide before the home side should have gone in front in the 35th minute. A long throw in from Chris Black was headed on by Stuart Harker into the path of Des Burnett who, unmarked, screwed his shot wide of the post from eight yards out.
James Binnie had the ball in the net five minutes later for the visitors, but was ruled offside by referee Colin Whyte.
United repeated their near-miss just before the interval when Calum Webb took a corner from the right which was headed on to find Burnett, but under pressure from the Vale defence, the striker blasted wide.
Vale had their best chance of the game three minutes into the second half when a ball from the right into the box was dropped by United keeper David Simmonds to the feet of Ross Gaylor, but the midfielder hooked his shot past the right-hand post.
Chances were few and far between, with both defences well on top and the only sight of goal in the latter period was a shot from Wayne Sproule which cleared the bar.
Into extra time, both teams again struggled to break down the opposing defence.
Good work between Burnett and Liam Wallace ended when Vale keeper Craig Weir did well to cover a shot from Wallace and later Jamie Swailes shot just wide of the target following a good surging run.
So to penalties. Vale scored first through Wayne Sproule, matched by Harker. Jordan Hall then scored for Vale before Mark Lockhart’s penalty was saved by the keeper.
Steven Radzynski and Jamie Lauder then slotted home penalties which were matched by Kelso’s Jordan Lauder and Burnett.
The contest swung back when Vale full back Steven Sproule had his penalty saved by Simmonds and Swailes scored to make it all square.
It was now sudden death, and after Martin converted for Vale, United’s Chris Tait put his penalty wide.
Kelso United: D. Simmonds, J. McCutcheon, C. Black, S. Harker, L. Wallace (M. Lockhart 105), D. McNulty, C. Webb (J. Milner 83), C. Tait, D. Burnett, J. Swailes, J. Lauder.
Vale of Leithen: C. Weir, S. Sproule, R. McKenzie (J. Lauder 83), R. Miller, S. Robertson, C. Beaton, A. Martin, R. Gaylor, W. Sproule, J. Binnie, (S. Radzynski 65), J. Hall.