Vale boss quits after Uni defeat

Edinburgh UNIVERSITY moved into fourth position in the East Seniors Central Taxis Premier Division with a 3-0 victory over Vale of Leithen, prompting the resignation immediately after the game of the Vale manager Jamie Burrell.

The students fielded a much-changed side from that which beat Vale 3-2 at the weekend but the younger players who came in have given head coach Douglas Samuel some pleasant selection headaches for the rest of the season.

“I think last night’s game was one of the most satisfying clean sheets in my entire time [nine seasons] at the club,” said Samuel. “I thought the players were really disciplined and really stuck to the game-plan. They won the game on spirit and togetherness.”

Edinburgh University took the lead in only the fifth minute when Keir Heinrich crossed from the right and Shawn McMaster powered a header behind Craig Weir.

Vale had a lot of possession without troubling Mark Tait in the students’ goal and with 68 minutes gone, David Oswald was brought down in the penalty box by Vale’s Paul Lee, who was sent off. Finlay Clarkson dispatched the resultant penalty past Weir and, with five minutes left, a Clarkson free kick was headed home by Andy Cummings.

Vale have won only one of their last 11 games and the outgoing manager, Burrell, said: “Our results don’t lie and as manager I was responsible. I gave 110 per cent although I’m not sure if all of the players were as committed as me.”

The Leith Athletic home game against Stirling University was postponed because of a water-logged pitch while tonight Whitehill Welfare entertain Edinburgh City at Rosewell, kick-off 6.30pm.