The game opened at a healthy pace and the first shot on target was registered by the home side.  David Blackhall played the ball into Mark Wood who in turn played it to Martin McMullan but his shot was well saved by keeper James Blanchard.

At the other end a Bryan Dlugonski ball into the box was won in the air by Mark Chisholm who set up Keith Robertson but with time inside the penalty area and space he wasted the opportunity.

The opener came in the 26^th minute, and it was a beautifully hit goal.  A high free kick from David Blackhall saw Scott Fraser outjump Steven Rattray to the ball but he was unable to get much purchase on the header and Craig MORRISON drilled a left footer into the bottom right hand corner of the net from 28 yards.

The Vale response was swift and four minutes later they were in front.  The leveller came from a free kick which, like the one at the other end was only partially cleared.  Gary Clark hooked it high back into the box and when it bounced up Michael EWEN was sharp enough to toe poke it over Darren McConnachie and into the net.

Clark was involved again on the half hour mark as the Banffers took the lead.  This time a corner came out to him at the edge of the area and although his shot was flying well wide Mark CHISHOLM stuck his neck out and managed to divert the ball off his head across the goal and into the far corner from 14 yards out.  Chisholm was booked for making an offensive gesture during the celebration.

Deveronvale were handed a great chance to make it three just before the break when David Blackhall brought John Coutts down eight yards from goal, almost at the touchline after the winger had gone past two men out wide.  Michael Ewen stepped up and placed the penalty towards the bottom corner but Darren McConnachie got down well and somehow got a finger tip onto the ball and collected the rebound off the post.

Half time – Lossiemouth 1 Deveronvale 2

Lossiemouth came out for the second half with fire in their bellies and set about the task of turning the game around.  Having pushed the Vale onto the back foot to some extent in the opening stages they levelled twenty minutes into the second period.

Once again it was a David Blackhall set piece, this time from the halfway line which was flicked on by Steven Rattray and met by Steven Dixon who jumped bravely in front of James Blanchard (getting clattered for his troubles in an incident which saw both players receive treatment) to nod the ball off the bar. Mark WOOD was on hand to turn the ball in off the post from a yard out, beating Allan Stephen in the air.

As you would expect the Vale pressed forward but the game was well and truly in the balance however with just eight minutes on the clock Mark Chisholm dragged the Banffers back into the lead. Lossie had worked hard to close the ball down at the edge of the box but when Allan Stephen's blocked shot spun out to Steve Dolan he lifted it to the back post where Mark CHISHOLM was free to bullet a header across into the far corner of the net.

There was controversy three minutes later when Lossie appeared to have scored. Darren Watson's cross from the right saw the ball drop six yards out after Blanchard failed to claim.  Kyle Stewart turned it goalwards and Scott Fraser appeared to be a foot over the line when he hooked the ball clear, however no decision was made and for the second week in a row Lossie were left querying a crucial decision from the shedside official.

The game opened up as you would expect as Lossie pushed on for a leveller late on but there was to be no further scoring and the Banffers left three points richer.

Full time – Lossiemouth 2 Deveronvale 3

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