East Kilbride 3
Gala Fairydean Rovers 1
Lowland League
This was always going to be a difficult match for Gala, playing away to the league leaders who had a one hundred percent record this season and had yet to concede a goal. The first quarter of an hour presented no real danger although East Kilbride looked to have the attacking edge. New goalkeeper, Kieron Wright, on loan from Rangers looked to be self assured from the beginning. Ross McNeil steered a free header wide of the mark to give the visitors their first real cause for concern. A few minutes later a free kick from the right touchline was met by a header from the inrushing Sean Winter and it deflected off the face of a Gala defender to give East Kilbride the lead. Just a minute later Winter was clean through on goal again, but Wright spread himself well to block his shot on goal. Midway through the half Ross Aitchison lost possession and this eventually led to a cross into the Gala area where a header from Joao Victoria was well saved by Wright. Winter was a constant threat, and a couple of minutes later forced a fine one handed save by Wright from his cross shot across goal. Then five minutes before half time Dean McColm was pulled back in the East Kilbride box but the referee thought there was insufficient contact to award a spot kick. The home side broke away and Winter crossed for McNeil to strike and his shot went in off the keepers right hand post. Then just before the interval McNeil saw another effort clip the top of the crossbar.
Ashley Langford came on at the start of the second half to replace Stuart Noble who had tweaked a hamstring shortly before half time. Gala’s first real threat on goal came after 53 minutes when Jack Hay flicked a header just wide of the East Kilbride goal. Just a couple of minutes later the home side increased their lead when Martin McBride swept home number three from a cross from the right with no defender close enough to challenge him. Lamb came on to replace McColm and midway through the half Jack Hay broke clear into the East Kilbride area but his run was impeded. He managed to keep his feet but because his momentum had been interrupted he couldn’t keep the ball in play. The visiting support shouted for a penalty and this appeared to be more than a reasonable request, but again the referee did not agree, much to their consternation. The Gala captain, Scott Main, then limped off to be replaced by Bonnington, and East Kilbride also began to ring the changes, bringing on Robbie Winters, amongst others. Gala then began to come more into the game although the East Kilbride management probably thought that they had done enough to see out the match. But ten minutes from time Jack Hay pulled one back with a well directed shot from the edge of the area into the left hand corner of the East Kilbride goal. The first league goal that East Kilbride have conceded this season. Gala almost got another two minutes later from an Aitchison header from a free kick that was pushed around the right hand post by the goalkeeper at full stretch and any thought of a comeback was snuffed out with that save.
Gala Fairydean Rovers: Wright, Stephen, Main (Bonnington, 66), Waugh, Windram, Herdman, Aitchison, McColm (Lamb, 59), Noble (Langford, 45), Hay, Watson. Subs not used: Allan, Simpson, Newman