After last week's win we were a bit more confident travelling to the Crichton today. Having number of players missing today reduced the options for the manager, but we were confident we would give Crichton a game.
We started off brightly and had a dream start when McCormack scored in the 2nd minute to give us the lead. We had won a corner and as the ball broke loose in the box, McCormack reacted first to fire the ball home. For the rest of the half we contained any counters from Crichton and created a few situations where we could have extended the lead, but a wayward cross or wrong option didn't produce any real chances. Crichton were trying to get back into the game but were not creating much in front of goal. Their attackin options were reduced when their main threat, Jamie Little, had to go off with a hamstring pull. However we let them back into the game on 40 minutes when we switched off at a free kick. They took it quickly and Frew was allowed a free run at goal and he rounded our keeper to score and bring them level.
HT Crichton 1 Vale 1
As the 2nd half got under way, we were quick to attack and in the 48th minute we scored again with an almost carbon copy of our first goal. A Stenton corner caused problems in the home defence and this time it was Ogston who pounced on the loose ball to lash the ball into the net for his first competitive goal of the season. This gave us a great lift and we extended our lead in the 57th minute. Fairhurst and Baxter worked the ball down the left. Baxter flighted in a cross field pass towards McCormack on the right. He chased it down and beat a defender and the keeper to the ball to slide it home for his second and our third. We continued to press but we were caught out in the 65th minute. We failed to clear a long throw in and Beattie was on hand to force the ball over the line. A minute later we almost regained our 2 goal advantage. Yet again it came from a Stenton corner. He floate dthe ball into the box and Fairhurst headed it goalwards, but just as we were getting ready to celebrate, the Crichton keeper made a great one handed stop to deny BJ. For the next 10 mins we were quite comfortable and were contaning the Crichton attacks. As both sides made changes Crichton came more into the game and for the last 10 mins of the matxh we were defending in numbers, but we held out until the final whistle went.
FT Crichton 2, Vale 3

MOM awarded to Ricky Baxter, but once again there was quite a few to choose from. The back 4 played solidly, the mifield broke up a lot of the play and started our attacks, our lone striker worked their back four for the whole match.

Ref: J Thomson (Dalbeattie) Assistants R. Morrison, R Williamson (both Dumfries)