Rossvale warm up for Auchinleck Talbot test with win over Largs Thistle

Rossvale moved into the Premiership Top 10 with a hard fought win against fifth placed Largs Thistle at New Tinto Park on Saturday.
Rossvale celebrate their winning goal against Largs (pic HT Photography/@dibsy_)Rossvale celebrate their winning goal against Largs (pic HT Photography/@dibsy_)
Rossvale celebrate their winning goal against Largs (pic HT Photography/@dibsy_)

The win continue a remarkable rise up the table for the top flight ahead of their massive Scottish Junior Cup tie with Auchinleck Talbot this weekend.

However Vale - who included their two loan signings from Dumbarton, Mati Zata and Lewis Crawford, in their starting line-up - had keeper Jamie Donnelly to thank for keeping them in the game with a couple of excellent saves in the first half.

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His first came very early when Stuart Faulds burst through the centre of the defence, evading a couple of tackles, but Donnelly dived at his feet to save.

Then a long clearance from Largs keeper Jamie McGowan found Simon McBryde just outside the 18-yard box and only a great fingertip save from Donnelly prevented Laregs taking the lead.

Faulds go on the end of the resultant corner, but his close-range header went narrowly past at the back post.

Rossvale responded and Paul Brennan found Liam McGonigle with a fine cross and after he had brought it down it took a goal line clearance to prevent him from scoring.

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In the next move Zata picked up the ball in midfield and found McGonigle wide on the right; he cut inside but his effort sneaked past.

In a spell of pressure Largs forced several corners but no matter what they tried they just couldn’t find the back of the net - and that proved costly when Vale took the lead right on half-time.

After great interpassing between McGonigle and Brennan out on the right, Brennan fired a cross into the box which McGonigle stepped over and the ball fell to Anthony Higgins who had time to control it and then pick his spot at the back post to blast Vale ahead.

Largs nearly pulled level early in the second half when McGonigle cleared John Mitchell’s effort off the line.

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The young Largs team were trying hard to get back into the game and David Leadbetter cleared up another good move down the left.

At the other end Leadbetter himself set up Del McNab, who had just come on, when he burst down the left and laid a ball in to McNab who controlled it and beat couple of players, but his final effort just sneaked past the upright.

By this stage Vale were taking more control of the game and it took an excellent save from McGowan to stop them going further ahead when Jackson Biggar linked up with Joe Slattery and he found McGonigle whose shot was stopped on the line.

In their next attack the Vale managed to get the ball in the back of the net again but the linesman had his flag up for an offside and it remained 1-0.