Cumbernauld Colts 2-0 Gala Fairydean Rovers

By Callum Hodgson

at Broadwood Stadium

GALA Fairydean Rovers were knocked out of the Lowland League Cup in Steven Noble’s last game in charge on Friday night.

A Craig Holmes penalty early in the second half and a strike from Michael Wallace booked Cumbernauld’s place in the semi finals.

Gala had to play the last 25 minutes with 10 men after Drake Rendle was given his marching orders for a strong tackle.

After the game Noble told us: “I’m disappointed with the result, but Cumbernauld are a good side with lots a quality – and our lads give us their all.

“I was really hoping we could get through this game because we would have had a semi final at home and the final is at Gala. It would have been a brilliant opportunity to go out on a high.

“As I say the lads worked really hard and I think it was quite an even contest with both teams having good spells.”

There were very few chances in the first half, but the best fell to the home side when Sean Brown forced a good save from Lewis Muir after connecting with a Paul Nash free kick.

Gala could have taken the lead four minutes into the second half through Kieran Ainslie, but defender Greg Pascazio managed to get in the way and scramble to ball back to his goalkeeper.

But the turning point came on 56 minutes when the referee awarded the Colts a penalty.

Holmes launched a ball into the box towards Wallace went down after a collision and the referee pointed to the spot. Holmes stepped up and sent Rangers loanee Lewis Muir the wrong way.

Moments later Gala could also have had a penalty of their own when Pascazio brought down Billy Miller in the area, but the protests were waved away.

The visitors were also dealt a major blow when Canadian midfielder Drake Rendle received the first red card of his career after a strong tackle on Jordan Marshall.

That gave the Colts the incentive to push forward.

And they were rewarded eight minutes later when a long kick from Ronan Fallens found Stephen O’Neill on the left hand side.

He burst down the wing, fired a cross into the box and Wallace converted at the back stick.

The Fairydean Rovers fought to pull a goal back with substitute Stuart Noble coming close, but he couldn’t beat the Cumbernauld custodian.

There was also a shout for another penalty when Darren Smith’s cross from the right appeared to strike an arm in the box.

The home side however could have made it 3-0 on the break moments before the end, but Brown fired just wide.

Gala Fairydean Rovers: L Muir, L Stephen, K Ainslie, B Miller, S Main (S Guiney 84), C Heugh (S Noble 71), D Smith, D Rendle, F Neave (S Paliczka 62), R Craigie, L Chambers.