Central League: Division 1

  Dunipace 3 - 2 Vale of Leven  

Dunipace got their league campaign underway at Westfield a week after the rest of the division with a tie against the league's form team, Vale of Leven.

With a host of wins under their belt, a barrowload of goals to boot and next to nothing conceeded Vale, who will play their League Cup Semi Final in the week, would have been full of confidence coming to newly promoted Dunipace. Within minutes though, they will have realised they were in for a tough game.

Within 2 minutes Dunipace took the lead. Good work from Wright and McIllduff saw Tweedie (playing his first game since re-signing for the Pace) head the ball inside into the path of Ryan McCafferty's run. The midfielder took the ball on his chest before volleying over the outrushing keeper to make it 1 nil to Dunipace and get them off to a flying start.

It wasn't to last long though, with Vale hitting back from the kick off.

A slip in the right back position from McIllduff allowed the winger into the left channel. His cross was headed clear but landed at the feet of the striker on the edge of the area. Gary MacMillan blocked his initial effort, but the rebound fell perfectly into the path of the midfield runner who, with no-one around him, slotted the ball into the corner beyond Hutton.

Another very soft goal for the home side to lose and, following similar stories in all 3 league cup matches, something that will have to be addressed in the coming weeks and months.

Dunipace though continued to play well as the half progressed with Hutton in the home goal having very little to do, the visitors looking dangerous from set pieces but struggling to create any chances of note from open play.

The visiting keeper however was keeping Dunipace out, firstly stopping a drive from distance at full stretch from McIllduff, and then a similar save from Ryan McCafferty.

1-1 at half time and Dunipace came out at the start of the second half looking to get on top from the off and it didn't take long for the increase in tempo to pay off. Some good football saw Dunipace win a free kick wide on the left and McCafferty's delivery was punched to the edge of the area by the keeper. Paul Tweedie was on hand to bicycle kick the ball from 18 yards over the keeper and defender on the line and into the top corner.

A fantastic goal and a great way to mark the striker's return to Dunipace.

Vale started to creep back into the game a little after this and, in a break away from a Dunipace corner, nearly brought the scores level. From the kick the clearance fell to the feet of a visiting midfielder who got the ball moving early to his striker. The striker turned inside and played a ball over Gary MacMillan, who had chased back with the Vale striker and into the path of the wide man. The winger's cross found the head of a runner at the back post but the effort crashed back off the bar and Dunipace retained their lead.

And it was the spur they needed as moments later, determined to out do his first wonder goal, Tweedie scored another contender for goal of the season. A throw in from the left allowed Rodger to turn inside and hold off the defender, which allowed Tweedie to walk onto the bouncing ball from 25 yards to the left of goal and power a thunderbolt of a volley high into the top right hand corner of the net before the keeper could even get a hand up in attempt at stopping it.

3-1 to Dunipace and 3 outstanding goals in their own rights.

And with 5 minutes to go Wright had a chance to put the icing on the result when he rounded the keeper and turned the ball towards the empty net. With the home team looking to celebrate a Vale defender managed to get back and clear off the line to keep the score at 3-1 and it looked like a good thing as they pulled another back just before the whistle.

The number 9 burst beyond 3 challenges into the area and pulled the ball back to the edge of the 6 yard box for the onrushing midfielder to tap in beyond Hutton.

Another goal the home side will be disappointed in the manner at which it was lost, but they managed to see the game out for a 3-2 victory against the fancied Vale side and a great start to their league season.

Dunipace will take many positives from this game and will know that, despite having a few things to look at in the game, getting 3 points on the board at the start of their campaign was the most important thing. With a division as tight as this one looks like it will be, every game will be a challenge for every side, so Dunipace will be hoping for a similar result at St Anthony's next week. A venue that is always tough for opposing teams.