​Gala Fairydean Rovers up for cup against lower-league opposition at weekend

​A round-of-16 tie hosting either Luncarty or Penicuik Athletic, both in the East of Scotland Football League’s premier division, on a date yet to be announced is on offer for the winners.

Rovers booked their place in round three by handing out a 5-1 hiding to another EoSFL premier division side, Glenrothes, at home at Netherdale Stadium in August.

Their East Lothian opponents, currently sixth in the EoSFL’s first division, got through by beating lower-league Thornton Hibs 3-1, also at home, that same day.

Player-manager Martin Scott’s Gala team will be looking to bounce back from their 2-1 Scottish Lowland Football League defeat at Caledonian Braves on Saturday gone by continuing their cup run further into the autumn.

That loss at Motherwell’s Alliance Park was their fifth of the season and it leaves them sitting seventh in the table, on 17 points from a dozen games.

Striker Allan Smith put the Borderers ahead six minutes into the second half but their hosts hit back with goals from Ross McNeil on 69 minutes and Cameron Breadner on 79 to secure all three points.

Rovers’ next league game is away to Edinburgh University, currently bottom of the table with only one point to show for 12 fixtures, on Wednesday, October 18, with kick-off at 7.45pm.

Though knocked out of the qualifying cup at its first-round stage by EoSFL premier division side Kinnoull last time round, Gala made it all the way to the final the season before, losing 3-1 to Linlithgow Rose in May last year.