New Peebles Rovers manager Stuart Smith gets off to losing start v Easthouses Lily

Rovers were 2-0 down at Whitestone Park by half-time and conceded another just after the hour mark but fought back with goals from Kyle Kivlichan on 72 minutes and Grant Wilson, from the penalty spot, on 84 for a final scoreline of 3-2.

Stevie Thomson scored two of Lily’s goals and Ryan Kearney got their other.

“We just didn’t seem to get going in the first half at all, but to find ourselves 2-0 down at the break I felt was a bit harsh on the balance of play,” Smith, previously at Bishopbriggs’ West Park United, told the club’s website.

“Although we didn’t create much in the first 45, we restricted our opponents to very little, but unfortunately a couple of mistakes and lapses in concentration cost us and we found ourselves 2-0 down.

“We were a bit unfortunate when Scott Inglis hit the bar at 1-0. A goal at that stage would have given the lads a lift but, that aside, we didn’t create too much.

“We started the second half a bit brighter and were playing some good football at times but again found ourselves conceding and giving ourselves a mountain to climb to take anything from the game.

“The last 25 minutes of the game is how we need to play for the full 90 minutes every week, though. The attitude and energy the boys showed to get us back into the game was exceptional, and at 3-2 down, I genuinely thought we would go on and get a third, but it just wasn’t to be.”

Looking ahead to this Saturday’s trip to Fife, he added: “We really do need to start picking up points and working our way up the table, but I believe with the character the boys showed in the second half, it won’t be too long until we get a few more points on the board.”

That East of Scotland Football League second division fixture versus Shippy kicks off at 2.30pm.

​It’s one of two away-days for the Borders’ three teams in that division this Saturday, with only Coldstream on home turf.

Vale of Leithen – in Scottish Cup first-round action at the weekend, losing 6-1 away to Threave Rovers – are away to West Lothian’s Armadale Thistle, with the Streamers hosting further Fifers Oakley United, with both those games kicking off at 2.30pm too.

Coldstream – knocked out of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup on Saturday gone by a 2-0 loss at home to Thornton Hibs – are currently 11th in the table, on ten points from eight fixtures, with Peebles 13th, on seven from eight, and Vale second from bottom, on three from seven.

Their opponents all go into this weekend’s fixture card above them in the standings – Armadale topping the table, on 22 points from eight games; Burntisland in eighth place, on 11 from seven; and Oakley tenth, on ten from seven.

Linton Hotspur are also in league action this Saturday, in the EoSFL’s third division.

They’re away to Fife’s Lochgelly Albert and that game kicks off at 2.30pm as well.

Hotspur lost 2-0 away to Edinburgh South in round three of this season’s Alex Jack Cup on Saturday gone but fellow EoSFL third division side Hawick Royal Albert, off duty this coming weekend, picked up a point from a 4-4 draw at home to Pumpherston.

Albert’s scorers were Harry Fowler at the double and Ben Tracey, with an own goal also going their way

Craig Johnston scored twice for Pumpherston, reduced to nine men by full-time, with Kieran Rafferty and Jake McCreadie also on target.

Edinburgh South’s scorers against Hotspur were Kieran Millar and Ciaran Vaughan.

Albert remain second in the table, on 16 points from nine fixtures, with their West Linton rivals fourth, on 13 from six.

See also …

https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/football/updated-first-round-knockouts-for-gala-fairydean-rovers-and-vale-of-leithen-in-scottish-cup-4803067