Updated: First-round knockouts for Gala Fairydean Rovers and Vale of Leithen in Scottish Cup

​Fairydean were beaten 1-0 at home by Scottish Highland Football League side Banks o’ Dee and Vale lost 6-1 to West of Scotland Football League third division outfit Threave Rovers on the road in Dumfries and Galloway.

Liam Duell scored the only goal of the game for Aberdeen’s Banks o’ Dee at Netherdale Stadium in Galashiels from the penalty spot on 55 minutes to book a second-round tie away to Scottish League Two’s East Fife on or around Saturday, October 26.

Castle Douglas’s Threave Rovers are also up against fourth-tier opposition in the next round of the cup, namely Stranraer, and that’s at home at Meadow Park.

Their goals at the weekend were scored by Harry Officer at the double on 43 minutes and 47, Ross Irving on 39, Aiden Kerr on 81, Liam Park on 83 and Charlie Watson on 89, with Kyle Mitchell getting one back for their Innerleithen opposition on 56.

Fairydean manager Martin Scott was sad to see his side go out of the cup but was happy with the account they gave of themselves, saying: “We’re disappointed obviously to have got knocked out in the first round.

“Credit to Banks o’ Dee, they really made a game of it. They brought a physicality and a robustness to the game, but I thought we stood up to that really well.

“We had some good opportunities in the first half. I thought it was a really positive first half. The second half was a wee bit more back and forth, with both teams looking for that opening, and ultimately it came down to the penalty kick.

“It was small margins and sometimes that happens in football, but in terms of application, effort and commitment from our players, I’m pretty happy.”

Scott, 38, is also pleased to have defender Ben Herdman back after over a year out with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus.

“I thought it was an outstanding performance from Ben, a man-of-the-match performance, in my opinion,” he said.

“He stood up to the physicality and really led from the back. It was a commanding performance.

“I’m delighted for Ben and it shows you what he’s capable of.

“It’s been a long journey for Ben. He’s come a long, long way and I’m really happy for him.”

Scott is confident that Rovers are now going in the right direction after winning their first league game since March seven days earlier, by 3-1 at home to Bo’ness United, saying: “Over the last three weeks, there’s been a real shift in mentality.”

Coldstream were also in knockout action on Saturday, losing 2-0 at home to Thornton Hibs in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup’s third round.

Jamie McNeish and John Soutar scored the Fifers’ goals to book a fourth-round tie at home to Hutchison Vale.

Fairydean are back on Scottish Lowland Football League duty this coming Saturday on the road at Edinburgh’s Civil Service Strollers, with kick-off at 3pm, following a 1-1 draw away to Linlithgow Rose on Tuesday.

Aaron Nicolson put Rose ahead on 53 minutes but Kieran Dolan equalised for Rovers three minutes into the stoppage time at the end of the game.

That was Rovers’ fifth draw of the season and it leaves them third from bottom of the table, on eight points from 11 fixtures.