GALA Fairydean Rovers three-game winning run came to an end on Saturday after suffering a narrow defeat to high-flying University of Stirling at Netherdale.

Ahead of kick-off a larger than usual crowd watched the impeccably observed minutes silence.

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In an evenly fought first-half neither side created any clear cut chances until time added on when the Gala defence failed to deal with a cross into the box and the ball fell to Jason Jarvis who fired it into the bottom left corner of the net.

Border Telegraph:

Two minutes after the restart the students doubled their advantage with a powerful Jarvis strike from an acute angle.

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Then eight minutes later Stirling appeared to have wrapped things up with a third goal after Ryan Goodfellow could only parry a cross from the right wing and Euan McGill was first to react by firing the ball high into the net.

But Gala fought back immediately, and Gareth Rodger headed home a Danny Galbraith free-kick from close range.

Gala pulled a second back in the 63rd minute after Zander Murray pounced on an under hit pass-back and rounded the Stirling keeper Ben Fry who deliberately clicked his heels causing him to stumble.

Murray however managed to regain his balance and fired the ball into the net.

The home fans called for a red card for the keeper but he did not receive even a yellow.

From then it was all Gala but the students tactics of time wasting at every opportunity and feigning injuries left a sour taste with the home fans.

Gala had two great chances to equalise but a Kieran Chalmers looping header and a Galbraith free-kick were inches away.

Gareth Rodger won the sponsor’s (Tustain Motors) Man of the Match award which was selected by Gala legend Ronnie Frizzel.

The full match report with reactions from the manager will be in next week’s Border Telegraph.