Gala Fairydean Rovers 0  Whitehill Welfare 1

 

FURIOUS Gala boss Steven Noble slated his players onWednesday after they failed to take advantage of having an extra man for over an hour, writes David Knox at Netherdale.

Despite a promising start to the midweek clash with Welfare, as well as a straight red for striker Tony Muir, the Fairydean Rovers rarely troubled the opposition goal.

Noble said: “We were doing well but once they had a player sent off we couldn’t take advantage.

“We were poor in the second half and they countered well.

“We need to play much better than that if we want to beat teams like Whitehill.”

During an encouraging opening 20 minutes the home team looked sharper and more threatening.

Following some silky build up play on three minutes Stuart Noble drilled a shot just a foot wide of the target.

And moments later David Bonnar blasted a shot just over from 20 yards.

A powerful run from Gibson on 20 minutes allowed him to square for Noble but Nikki Murray made a goal-saving tackle to prevent the former St Johnstone player dispatching his shot.

Whitehill has countered at pace and John Dodds had to be alert to a Muir shot on the quarter hour.

But it looked as though Gala’s night would become a lot easier when the danger man was sent off on 28 minutes after tangling with Daryl Burdett.

Callum Jardine and Noble both went close before the interval as they tried to make the extra man count.

But it was the visitors who were to make the breakthrough on 55 minutes.

Jamie Devlin stole the ball from Lee Stephen inside his own half and managed to skip away from Colin Galbraith’s challenge to tee up Callum Connolly, who shot low and hard beyond Dodds.

Whitehill had a penalty claim just three minutes later as Ian Chalmers made a clumsy challenge on Devlin inside the area but referee Duncan Smith waved play on.

Gala enjoyed plenty possession without opening up the visiting defence.

And, in another counter attack on 73 minutes, they were lucky not to concede another as Dodds made a good block to deny Craig Anderson.

The home team did enjoy some late pressure with Noble feeding Dean McColm inside the area, but the midfielder was crowded out before unleashing a shot.

And in the 85th minute substitute Billy Miller forced Bryan Young into a save at his near post.

Despite six minutes of additional time Gala couldn’t find an equaliser.

 

Gala FR J Dodds, L Stephen, D Burdett (R Lamb 70), C Galbraith (B Miller 57), I Chalmers, T Hope, D McColm, D Bonnar, S Noble, J Gibson & C Jardine (J Rutherford 81).