No stopping Vale juggernaut

A trio of goals in five minutes shortly before half-time set Vale on their way to a relatively easy 5-0 win, but their Fife opponents showed more strength and resistance than the scoreline suggests.

In particular, early on in the exchanges at Dunbar's New Countess Park, Swifts wideman Stan Chitemere caused Vale's back line all sorts of problems with his unorthodox style and pace on the flanks. Chitemere managed to cut inside on a couple of occasions in the first ten minutes, but his wild shooting didn't do justice to some clever build-up play.

Vale's Ross McCann, on the other hand, showed a little too much composure and not enough urgency when placed with the goal at his mercy, allowing defender Jack Leask to execute a superb tackle and deny him a shooting opportunity.

On 28 minutes, though, a slip in concentration by Swifts goalkeeper Ross Morgan gifted Vale the lead. Vale's McCann, again in the thick of the action, clashed with the goalie on the right-hand edge of the penalty area and although the Hillfield No.1 seemed to have a hold of the ball, he let it slip and McCann cleverly chipped the ball over him and into the net.

Thereafter, a deluge of goals ensued in a relatively short space of time, McCann doubling his and Vale's tally with a well-taken goal. After racing on to a through-ball, he skipped across his marker and rolled the ball under Morgan.

Then, just before the interval, Aaron Scott's header looped into the far corner of the net to make it three. There was a degree of dubiety over who applied the final touch after a corner from the left, but Scott made a convincing case by celebrating with conviction.

After the restart, a somewhat fortuitous strike left Swifts and their goalie Morgan in despair – and 4-0 down. Aaron McBurnie stuck out a foot to divert a goal-bound strike towards the left-hand corner of the goal, thereby wrong-footing Morgan and finding the net in slow motion.

It was one-way traffic by now, and Vale drove in a fifth as the full-time whistle neared.

Jonni Turner's incisive forward pass found Aidan Renton and he struck a shot on the turn to cap a masterclass in finishing from the newly-crowned regional champions.

Shane McCreevy, one half of Hutchie's coaching double act alongside Ally Scott, acknowledged that his side took a while to find their rhythm but was nevertheless pleased with the result.

He said: "The first 20 minutes were dodgy, but I don't think there's anyone better than us at playing football and once we got our passing going we scored some great goals. It's our second 5-0 win in a cup final this season, and we're still on course to win the league, too."

Tam Hamilton, part of the Swifts coaching team that also comprises Steve Barry, Steve Cook and Mark Austin, accentuated the positives for his side after a long season.

"The boys have given 100 per cent and until the first goal we were very much in the game. In our first year at 11-a-side we can beat anyone on our day.

"The highlights of our season have been our Scottish Cup trips to Aberdeen, where we beat one of the favourites for the competition, Albion Boys' Club, and Lewis United. Another highlight for me is seeing the boys playing with a smile on their face."

Hutchison Vale: Jamie Shiel, Matthew Quinn, Callum McArthur, Daniel Mason, Adam Corbett, Aaron McBurnie, Ross McCann, Connor Bathgate, Aaron Scott, Jonni Turner, Jack Philp, Callum Brodie, Liam Thomson, Aidan Renton, Gregor Watson, Nick McConnell.

Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts: Ross Morgan, Declan Boyle, Fraser Cook, Alex Austin, Sam Farnan, Aidan McGuire, Tom Russell, Ryan Barry, Jordan Webster, Brodie Hamilton, Stan Chitemere, Jack Leask, Cameron Mitchell, Kyle Strictland, Yousaf Asam, Alistair McDonald, Charlie Johnstone.