Extra-time collapse leads to third cup exit in two months for Gala Fairydean Rovers

The Galashiels side were beaten 5-2 after extra time at East of Scotland Football League premier division outfit Musselburgh Athletic in the second round of the South Challenge Cup on Saturday.

That exit followed ones from the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup in mid-August and Scottish Cup a month later, also at the hands of lower league opposition.

They were knocked out of the former by EoSFL first division side Kinnoull after drawing 1-1 and losing a subsequent penalty shootout 5-4 and the latter 4-1 by EoSFL premier division team Sauchie Juniors at home.

Head coach Martin Scott’s Borderers had looked to be on their way through to the third round of the challenge cup after coming from behind to go 2-1 up at Olivebank Stadium with just minutes left to play but their East Lothian hosts got an equaliser two minutes into stoppage time and then scored a further three without reply in extra time.

Rovers’ goals were scored by Lewis Grant on 80 minutes and Marc Berry two minutes later after Jackson Barker had put their hosts ahead 31 minutes in.

Matty Knox scored Athletic’s equaliser with a free-kick and further goals followed via an own goal from a Knox corner on 94 minutes, Aaron Murrell on 104 and Barker on 106.

Reviewing his side’s weekend woes, Galbraith told us: “I wouldn’t say we played particularly well.

“It was a difficult game against a team obviously in it for a scalp from a team from the division above, and it was a tricky playing surface which didn’t suit our style of play, but it looked like we’d done enough to get over the line.

“I went off with about two minutes to go and we were 2-1 up at the time and I didn’t think for one minute that the game wasn’t just going to fizzle out the way it kind of had been, but of course then when you see a last-minute free-kick at the edge of the box, you fear the worst.

“Clearly, scoring a goal at that time, probably swung the momentum of the match for them. Saying that, though, we needed to be a lot better in extra time in dealing with the way the game got away from us. It’s a disappointing result.

“It’s disappointing because we can’t afford to let a goal – at any time, but particularly at that stage, when you know you’ve got extra time – to have such a devastating impact.

“At the end of the day, the game was tied, so it was all to play for in extra time, but you’d think we’d lost the game there and then when you look at what transpired in the ten to 15 minutes after that. That was a real frustration.

“It is disappointing because it is good to get a little run going in a cup, particularly if you’ve had opportunities against teams at a level below us.

“For me, that’s the biggest frustration because it appears that, for whatever reason, we don’t seem to be playing with the confidence or the ability that we should be showing. We should be winning these games.

“Saturday was a case in point – 92 minutes on the clock and you’re going through, then 15 minutes later, you’re three goals down.”

Next up for Rovers is a return to Scottish Lowland Football League duty at home to Heart of Midlothian B this Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.