Gala Fairydean Rovers brought back down to earth with bump after second defeat on bounce

After the euphoria of racking up six victories on the trot, their longest winning streak for eight years, the Galashiels side have been brought back down to earth with a bump by back-to-back defeats against Kelty Hearts and Stirling University.

Going down 2-1 at home the weekend before to Scottish Lowland Football League table-toppers Kelty was no disgrace, but losing by a bigger margin yesterday, December 5, to the Stirling students, one place and two points behind them at kick-off at the Forthbank Stadium, sent an emphatic message to the Borderers that they’ve still got a way to go before they can consider themselves anywhere near the finished article.

The students’ victory could easily have been much bigger too as they should have been out of sight of their visitors long before they scored their second goal to make sure of all three points with virtually the last kick of the ball.

Gala’s Phil Addison calling off through illness was a pre-match blow but it gave Hearts teenager Leeroy Makovora, signed on loan just days before, a starting debut sooner than the 18-year-old would have expected.

The visitors started off brightly, with Stirling content to let them have plenty of the ball, but whenever a pass went astray, their hosts were quick to counter-attack and caused plenty of problems breaking forward.

Makovora had a good chance after 20 minutes when he burrowed his way into the box but he delayed his shot and the ball was blocked.

Stirling were more direct, with right-back Matthew Burrows seeing his cross-cum-shot skim the bar and then Jamie Penker drilling a low shot towards the net only for Lewis Grant to block his effort on the goal-line.

Gala manager Neil Hastings made a couple of changes at the interval, introducing Sean Ward and Marc Berry in an attempt to get more creative play in forward areas, but Stirling were well marshalled at the back and continued to look dangerous on the break.

Gala had keeper Fraser Morton to thank for a string of fine saves as the home side threatened.

Eventually, Stirling got the breakthrough they desrved when Penker evaded his marker and bulleted in a near-post header from a Jason Jarvis corner in the 63rd minute.

That was the 20-year-old’s 10th league goal in 12 games this season, consolidating his position as the table’s top scorer, three ahead of four players, including Gala’s Talor-Scott Mackenzie, in joint second place.

Stirling had a further chance to increase their lead, with Robbie McGale striking the base of the post and Morton was called on again to keep Gala in the match.

As the minutes ticked away, Gala pushed everyone forward in an attempt to snatch an equaliser.

Assistant manager Jordyn Sheerin was introduced 20 minutes from time to bolster the visitors’ forward line.

It was almost a dream debut when he had a shooting opportunity from 25 yards, but his effort sailed over the bar.

To their credit, Gala kept battling to the final whistle but did not get the break of the ball in the box when required.

Deep into injury time, Gala had a corner cleared by James Berry, and with everyone committed, substitute Kieran Hall raced away to slot home the killer second goal.

That defeat allowed Stirling to leapfrog Rovers in the league table, rising to sixth place, with the latter now sitting in ninth with 18 points after 10 games, one point less than their hosts but with two games in hand on them.

This coming weekend, there’ll be a break from league duty for Rovers as Dumfries and Galloway’s Wigtown and Bladnoch visit Netherdale for a Scottish Cup preliminary round two tie. That game, being played behind closed doors, kick offs on Saturday, December 12, at 3pm.

The winners of the tie will go into the cup’s first round draw, with that round due to be played on Saturday, December 26.

Stirling Uni: Fry, Burrows, Quigley, Doan, Downie, Berry, Brown, Heath (Bremner 81), Penker (Hall 87), Jarvis, McGale.

Gala: Morton, Grant (Herdman 74), Hall, McBride, Rodger, Taylor MacKenzie, Roue (Berry 46), Aitchison (Sheerin 74), Makovora, Galbraith, Campbell (Ward 46).