Match report: Gala Fairydean Rovers 1, Annan Athletic 2

Jordan Lowdon’s deflected strike four minutes from time sent the Dumfries and Galloway side through to the next round and left their Galashiels hosts still waiting for their first win against Scottish Professional Football League opposition in the cup since their formation in 2013.

Boxing Day’s match had appeared to be a good opportunity to try to break that duck against a struggling Annan side, fourth from bottom of their table with eight points from nine games, but it was a chance left to go begging.

Gala boss Neil Hastings said afterwards: “I am really disappointed with the manner of both the goals we conceded.

“We enjoyed a great start to the second half and we wanted to then take ownership of the game, but for a 15-to-20-minute spell afterwards, we lost our way.

“It is a sickener for the players and coaching staff, but we have a chance to move on quickly with our next match against Berwick Rangers on Friday.”

Gala and Annan were old foes during their East of Scotland League days before Athletic were voted into the senior leagues in 2008.

They have since been a stable League Two club, but currently sit in seventh place just four points ahead of bottom-placed Brechin City.

With Gala currently on course for their best-ever finish in the Scottish Lowland Football League, yesterday’s game was expected to be a close-run one, and so it proved, with driving rain proving an additional challenge.

The home side caused Annan plenty of problems in the early stages, only for Athletic to score against the run on play on 21 minutes.

Lowdon beat Rovers right-back Lewis Grant to the ball and slipped in Aidan Smith, who produced a lovely finish to send the ball beyond Fraser Morton in the Gala goal.

The hosts responded well to that setback, with Ben Herdman flashing a shot across the face goal and Matty Douglas making a brilliant block to deny Phil Addison as it appeared the frontman would find the net.

Scott-Taylor Mackenzie was unable to reproduce his stunning free-kick against Bo’ness United a week previous as his 25-yard set-piece shot was saved by Annan’s Alex Mitchell.

Mitchell could do nothing to stop Gala equalising just two minutes into the second half, however, as Marc Berry’s superb cross was powered into the net by the head of Gareth Rodger.

Chances were now presenting themselves at both ends of the pitch, with Gala left-back Calum Hall required to clear Max Wright’s effort off his own line.

Addison then had two difficult chances to put the hosts ahead he was unable to take, and a 30-yard swerving effort by Mackenzie forced Mitchell to tip the ball over his crossbar.

Mackenzie would play an unfortunate role in the late winner, though, as Lowdon’s 18-yard strike took a deflection off the Gala midfielder to leave keeper Morton stranded and Annan heading for the second round.

Gala Fairydean Rovers: F Morton, L Grant, C Hall, C McBride, G Rodger, B Herdman, A Roue (J Campbell 67), S-T Mackenzie (A Walsh 87), P Addison, D Galbraith, M Berry (R Aitchison 87).