Tough weekend for Pupils as promotion-chasing sides prove too strong

The most concerning moment was the injury to goalkeeper Alasdair Ferguson, who was forced off midway through the first half with a badly damaged ankle.

Lorne Paterson took over between the sticks, prompting a reshuffle among the players.

An X-ray later confirmed there was no break, but Ferguson has sustained ligament damage that will sideline him for a period.

On Sunday, Vale of Leven were the visitors to Kintyre Park and left with a 2-0 victory after a hard-fought match.

A goal in each half was enough to see off a dogged Pupils performance that didn’t get the breaks on the day.

There were six changes from Saturday’s starting line-up, with Craig Morris, Gregor McGeachy and Craig Lamont all adding a more physical presence.

The visitors took the lead in the ninth minute, Ross Fulton firing in an angled drive that left goalkeeper Reid Anderson helpless.

Vale came close to extending their lead shortly afterwards, but a brilliant fingertip save from Anderson kept it at one.

The Pupils came agonisingly close to equalising just before half-time, but Lorne Paterson’s header from a Ryan Shields corner struck the bar.

Vale were probably the better side in the first half and deserved their lead, but the Pupils were the stronger team in the second.

Liam Renton tested the Vale goalkeeper with a well-struck effort, while Craig Morris was also unlucky with a close-range header.

Vale secured the points in the 70th minute with a scrambled finish at the far post after the Pupils failed to clear.

The visitors saw out the remainder of the game to confirm their promotion to the third division.

After Saturday’s defeat, the Pupils were backed by a strong, loyal support on Sunday, which was appreciated by everyone at the club. Thanks were also extended to member clubs who offered encouragement and support after the heavy defeat.

“When you’re at the bottom, it’s times like this you know who your friends are,” said a Pupils spokesperson.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the Pupils will face Irvine Victoria at Kintyre Park, with a 2pm kick-off.