DEVERONVALE captain Mike McKenzie's penalty deep into injury time earned his side a point at Bellslea Park in an entertaining encounter which ebbed from end to end on Saturday.

However, it was not the result either manager would have wished for as they fell further behind in the race for the title.

A fine bright winter's afternoon greeted the teams as they faced off for the second time this season, with the home side without the services of Mark Cowie and Graham Johnston, while the Banffers were missing the suspended Scott Fraser for the second week running and injured pair Gordon Carstairs and Ross McKenzie.

Vale boss Scott Anderson shuffled his pack slightly with Kris Duncan preferred to Grant Noble as they lined up in a 4-4-2 formation for another tough test against the much-improved Brochers.

A corner after just two minutes had Vale's defence tested to the limit as Bryan Hay side-footed over the top after picking up a Peter Alexander Bruce cut-back eight yards out.

Chris Blackhall's timely challenge inside his own box then denied another Broch chance before a quick break saw Mike McKenzie pick out Rodger but following his fine turn on to his left foot the young midfielder blazed over the top with the goal at his mercy.

Only a fine stop with his legs by James Blanchard kept the scoreline blank with Allan Hale latching onto a threaded ball in behind the Vale defence and bearing down on goal.

Duncan then headed off the line at the back stick to thwart Hale once more following another Robert Morrice corner.

Bruce pulled his effort wide of the post after a mix-up in the Vale defence, while at the opposite end Duncan's weak header was easily saved by Paul Leask in between the home sticks.

Blackhall's low ball ran agonisingly across the face of goal with no takers on hand to turn it home, although in Vale's next attack they did take the lead.

Graeme Watt found some space on the left before feeding Mike McKenzie, and the captain waited patiently before picking out the run of Rodger whose fine strike seemed to catch Leask out on his blind side as it hit the net.

Ryan Christie's clumsy challenge on Duncan five minutes later resulted in an easy penalty decision for referee Ryan Milne, but Mike McKenzie strangely sent the award over the top with Leask on the deck.

In a ferocious start to the second half, Magnus Barclay was unlucky not to find Rodger with his threaded ball in behind the home defence, while, at the other end, Leigh Henderson and Scott Henry combined well to mop up the danger from yet another dangerous Morrice flag kick.

Watt's run and shot shaved the post before Rodger was forced off when the unfortunate midfielder picked up an injury as he raced into the box in an attempt to meet a Watt cross and was challenged from behind, fairly, but strongly, by Marc Dickson.

The home side equalised when substitute Scott Barbour, nine minutes after replacing Morrice, out-muscled Henry to a long ball, rolled the defender before calmly slotting the ball under Blanchard.

Barbour thought he had scored again minutes later when he stuck out a boot to divert Hale's low ball into the net but the stand-side official ruled it out for offside.

Substitute Noble produced a nice turn in the Broch box but saw his effort rise over the top after good play from fellow reserve Michele Lombardi as the visitors reminded their hosts that they were still very much in the match.

With 10 minutes remaining and Henry off injured, Christie headed home from close range to give Fraserburgh the lead for the first time as their pressure finally paid off.

Lombardi missed a great chance to equalise five minutes later with Watt doing the spade work, but, with time and space, the former Huntly striker made a complete mess of his first-time strike eight yards from goal.

Blackhall wasn't far away either with a diving header which unfortunately lacked the pace to beat Leask, while McKenzie was denied by a goal-line clearance by Christie after another quick break away and some good play from Watt.

With the 90 minutes having come and gone and with the home side trying to run down time, a hand ball spotted by the far-side assistant in the Broch penalty area saw Deveronvale given the chance to snatch a point which they duly did when skipper McKenzie stepped up and sent Leask the wrong way from 12 yards.

With another two minutes added, Fraserburgh created a further two opportunities but Blanchard stood strong to block at the feet of Barbour, while Hale's deflected cross came back off the back post before being hacked clear by Barclay.

Deveronvale: Blanchard, Rae, Barclay, Henderson, Henry, Rodger (Lombardi 63), Cowie (Adams 81), Blackhall, M. McKenzie, Duncan (Noble 68), Watt. Subs not used: Meldrum, Brown.