Sitting in the dugout afterwards, an ecstatic home gaffer Steven Noble checked the heart rate monitor on his sports watch and questioned if another 90 minutes like he had just witnessed was conducive to good health.

In contrast, his counterpart on the away bench, Derek Riddell, must have been left scratching his head in bewilderment and disbelief as to why his Leith Athletic side were not through to the next round of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.

It was the visitors who set the early pace in the game.

Comfortable and assured in possession they probed and prodded the Gala backline and eventually took a deserved lead on 14 minutes with Neil Lowson firing the ball home after it broke to him in a penalty box melee.

The Leithers increased their lead just five minutes later after whistler Simon MacLean judged that Sean Guiney had pulled down his opponent as the ball flashed across the area. Grant Burns made no mistake from the spot.

This second goal at last galvanised the home team who pulled a goal back after 21 minutes, Ross Aitchison firing past Neil Fairnie after good work by Stuart Noble.

A re-invigorated Fairydean Rovers were now in pursuit of an equaliser but their hopes looked forlorn following a straight red card for midfielder David Bonnar just before the interval. The Galashiels youngster was involved in a robust challenge in the centre of the park with both players appearing to raise their studs but the referee somewhat harshly decided that it would be the home player who had to go for an early shower.

Despite continuing to be tidy in possession, the East of Scotland side struggled to impose their one man advantage in the second half following the enforced change to Gala’s system.

Indeed just before the hour, Aitchison rose to power a header beyond Fairnie to restore parity and then on 65 minutes Jamie Gibson played a captain’s role by firing the home side into an improbable lead.

With Noble’s team defending well as a unit hopes were high that Gala could perhaps see out the remaining time without conceding again, however on 71 minutes, a second yellow card for full-back Lee Stephen looked to have handed the initiative back to the visitors.

The nine men of Gala sent the remainder of the match under the cosh as Leith piled forward in search of the equaliser.

To the dismay of the vociferous home crowd the goal duly game on 80 minutes.

Gala surrendered possession in the Leith half and a sweeping move down the right ended with substitute Gavin Kneeshaw firing past Mark Wilson from eight yards.

Leith were in the ascendancy and it seemed only a matter of time until their two man advantage paid dividends. With the clock ticking down Gala conceded a second penalty when Wilson brought down Lewis Martin on the edge of his area.

Up stepped Grant Burns looking for his second of the day but he was brilliantly denied by the home keeper. The chances continued to come for Leith and with seconds remaining it looked like they would finally grab the winner. A through ball eluded Sean Guiney at the heart of the home defence and Lewis Martin found himself one on one with Wilson. The Leith midfielder tried to chip the outrushing keeper but his ball nestled on the roof of the net rather than in it.

Just as everyone in the ground was preparing themselves for extra-time Gala grabbed a sensational winner.

Noble, whose intelligent hold up play had been a feature of the game, received the ball from a Gibson throw in. Turning his marker he sent a low ball across the face of the Leith box where Dean McColm arrived to smash the ball behind the despairing dive of Fairnie for the unlikeliest of endings to the game.

Referee MacLean blew for full-time straight from the kick-off to spark scenes of joy and relief in the home-dugout and in the old stand.

Steven Noble was delighted with the character shown by his team and praised their hard work and effort.

He told us: “I knew Leith would be a good passing side having watched them play Heriot Watt University last week.

“We asked to players to be compact and put pressure on men in possession but we did not do that effectively enough in the opening period of the game allowing them a two goal advantage.

“We were then forced into a reshuffle following Bonnar’s sending off but I felt we played very well from then on. Obviously the second red card left us with problems but we responded magnificently and were rewarded with Deano’s goal.” The Fairydean Rovers will now play University of Stirling in the next round of the cup after they defeated Lothian Thistle.