2009
Twice in two weeks, Vale made the trip to Duffus Park to face Cupar in the quarter finals of the Scottish Brewers Cup. It was questionable if the game should have gone ahead due to the gusting swirling wind that made the game a lottery.
Cupar faced the wind in the first and any clearance from Cupar defence was in cases blown right back. Eastvale started well and with the wind at their backs put cupar on the back foot. As Cupar would prove to do to Eastvale in the second half.
Midway through the first half the ball landed at Mikey Laing’s feet who rifled home a shot from 25 yards into the top corner, 1-0 Vale.
Vale kept pressing but fair play to cupar they played to the conditions. Eastvale had a thrown in which would normally be an easy throw back to the keeper but the ball got held up in the wind and the cupar striker stole the ball, rounded Gardner and evened up the game.
Haltime 1-1
With the wind at their backs, Cupar pushed for the winner and it came with 10 to go. Highs balls into the vale box where difficult to clear and the vale defence tried in vain to clear them.
The highlight of the second half was a fantastic save from Gardner, a cross from the right was met by the cupar forward who did well to header the ball down but a fantastic one handed save tipped the ball round the post, remenisant of Pele/Banks.
Cupar struck twice more running out 4-1 winners. But the score did not reflect the game. Only one winner today and that was the Scottish climate.
