WE’RE LEVEN POOR FORM BEHIND US

Published 19 Aug 2010 09:30 0 Comments

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HARD TO HANDLE: Burgh couldn’t get to grips with the Vale on Saturday

By Kristian Truelsen - Johnstone Burgh 1 Vale of Leven 4

GEORGE Walker saw his second-rate side slip to a heavy defeat - but promised the Burgh will be ready to get their league campaign off to a flying start.

Vale of Leven cruised to three points against a weakened Burgh team on Saturday.

But Walker insists it will be a transformed team in the Central District First Division.

And he vowed there will be no repeat performance when they kick-off their league challenge against Blantyre Vics on Saturday.

The Keanie Park gaffer said: “We were very poor but having said that we had a lot of changes in the team. We had seven players on the bench who were first-team players so it wasn’t our strongest line-up.

“It will be a different story when we play them in the league. Next Saturday against Blantyre we will have things sorted and we can put things into context.

“I’m more concerned about the league campaign. The game against Blantyre is the one we are gunning for.

“I was disappointed with our performance but we’ll have players back from injury and it will be a totally different ball game in the league.”

The visitors were in control from the first whistle and took an early on eight minutes.

Brown swerved a 20-yard free-kick on goal, Fraser Wilson parried it away but Mark Bowie was on hand to knock home the rebound.

Three minutes later the Millburn Park men doubled their advantage when Jack Buchanan bulleted home a brilliant header after Vincent Berry delivered a menacing cross into the box.

Buchanan was unlucky not to find the net again when he hit the post with a flashing header on 35 minutes.

But moments later Buchanan put the Vale of easy street when his low drive from the edge of the box rolled beyond Wilson. Vale stopper Martin Grindlay was a spectator in the first 45 minutes but he denied Ross Hamilton’s stringing 25-yard shot.

But he could do nothing to stop Steven Fitzpatrick’s cool finish after the Burgh front man went on a solo run through on goal.

Vale restored their three-goal advantage moments later when sub Ryan Russell nodded home from close range. Burgh’s day went from bad to worse when Fitzpatrick was shown a second yellow in the closing stages.

Johnstone Burgh take on Renfrew in their final Sectional League Cup game tonight (Wednesday) at 6.45pm. Their league campaign then kicks off this Saturday away to Blantyre Vics (kick-off at 2pm).

This article appeared in The Gazette 18 Aug 10

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