OUTGOING Vale boss Ian 'Yano’ Little was looking for the perfect send off on Wednesday.

Unfortunately his makeshift team, hampered by a first half sending off, eventually caved in against league leaders Selkirk.

Little, who takes up a coaching post with Heriot-Watt University next week, was forced to field three reurning Penicuik players as trialists due to his lengthy injury list.

After one them, Daryl Devlin, was red-carded late in the first half the leaving do all went a bit flat.

Ian told us: “It was never going to be an easy night but the sending off didn’t help.” Little’s replacement, Micky Lawson, watched the Lowland League clash from the safety of the grass banking.

Following the defeat Lawson said: “That certainly wasn’t the Vale who beat my Whitehill team towards the end of last season.

“There are a few boys who are missing that are still to come back into the team and I’ll try to bring one or two players of my own in as well.

“There are some encouraging signs - I’m delighted Kenny O’Brien managed the last 10 minutes without any problems. He’s been out a long time and we need him back.” Selkirk, who beat Edinburgh University in their opener last Saturday, looked the more confident of the sides from the kick off.

But Vale continued to look dangerous on the break with Alan Flanagan flashing a header across the face of goal early on.

And several other testing crosses were narrowly missed by both Flanagan and his strike partner Kris Mitchell.

The visitors opened the scoring on 18 minutes with Fraser Neave winning the race with trialist keeper Chris Scott to poke Garry O’Connor’s flick on into the net.

Ross Gray should have done better than fire over from 15 yards just five minutes later.

Selkirk continued to press but it was Vale who were to find the net on the half hour.

A through ball to Mitchell saw Connor Handren tackle from the side and referee Gavin Ross deemed the challenge worthy of a penalty.

Flanagan confidently tucked away the spot kick.

Selkirk had their own penalty claim six minutes later as O’Connor was held back by keeper Scott but the referee waved play on.

O’Connor was twice denied by Steven Lynch goal-line clearances as the visitors attempted to regain the lead.

And their cause was aided on 43 minutes by Devlin who picked up his second yellow card for a late tackle on Gray.

Despite the man advantage Selkirk had to wait until the 72nd minute to edge back in front.

A Phil Addison corner was bundled into the net from close range by O’Connor.

Ross produced a one-handed wonder save moments later to prevent the former Scotland star finding the net again with a blistering shot from the edge of the area.

But the third did arrive on 77 minutes with Addison dancing his way into the area to slip in O’Connor and the striker fired low and hard into the bottom corner.

The late introduction of former France Under 20s player Florian Moulet added further pain for the tiring Vale team.

The former Marseille midfielder teamed up with O’Connor to eventually tee up fellow substitute Jon McInally for the fourth.

O’Connor told us: “I thought we played well from the start tonight and if we’d taken a few more of those chances it would have been more comfortable.

“Having a player sent off makes it hard for them but I thought we were on top before he got the red card.” Vale of Leithen. C Scott (trialist), B Rixon (K O’Brien 80), R Brady, S Lynch, D Devlin (trialist), D McLeod, J Lister (trialist), K Lough (trialist) (R Sclater 68), A Flanagan, K Mitchel (J Guy 83) & D White.

Selkirk. J Newman, M Samson, J Harley, M Christie, K Reynolds, C Handren, F Neave (J Bruce 83), R Gray, P Addison (F Moulet 78), G O’Connor & L Page (J McInally 78).