Gala Fairydean Rovers 4

Cumbernauld Colts 3

David Knox at Netherdale

A REMARKABLE three goals in four minutes saw Gala Fairydean Rovers come back from the brink on Saturday.

It’s been a difficult autumn for Steven Noble’s team with only one win from ten.

And when Sean Brown fired Colts 3-1 up approaching the hour, it looked as though the poor run was set to continue for another week.

But a sudden unexpected onslaught led to Gala hitting the net three more times to take the win.

Assistant manager Gary Fraser said: “We showed great character to pick ourselves up after they scored the third.

“We looked great going forward and even after we scored the fourth we could have had one or two more.

“Once we started closing them down a lot higher up the pitch, they struggled to cope with us.

“That was a big win for us and hopefully we can build on it.”

It had all began well for the Fairydean Rovers.

Early pressure led to a deserved opener from Billy Miller.

The midfielder collected a corner clearance some 25 yards out and volleyed spectacularly into the top corner.

Lee Stephen, Rhys Craigie and Stuart Noble all had further chances for the hosts during a bright opening.

But approaching half time Cumbernauld began to pose their own threats.

Stephen O’Neil and William Mortimer both stretched the home defence with their pace.

And the pressure led to Mortimer equalising with a back post header on 38 minutes.

Just three minutes later Craig Murray raced into the area to convert a low cross and edge the visitors in front.

Gala suffered a further setback just six minutes into the second half when neither Sean Guiney nor Ross Aitchison were able to clear a bobbling ball and Brown smashed a shot beyond Lewis Muir.

Gala thought they’d reduced the deficit just four minutes later as Rhys Craigie nodded Noble’s cross in to the net – but the assistant referee judged the ball had gone out of play.

The second home goal arrived on 66 minutes as Noble held off the challenge from his marker to turn in front of goal and poke the ball beyond Harry Purves.

Just 68 seconds later Noble was pulled down by the keeper inside the area as he ran onto Darren Smith’s through ball.

Smith tucked away the penalty to make it 3-3.

And as the clock reached the 70th minute Gala went in front.

A corner was only cleared as far as Miller 25 yards out and, like a carbon copy of his opener, the midfielder blasted the ball beyond Purves to make it 4-3.

Colts attempted to salvage a point and only a good finger-tip save from Muir prevented Mortimer netting with an overhead kick.

And the Gala backline defended well in the closing minutes to see out the game and preserve their lead.

Gala Fairydean Rovers. L Muir, L Stephen, S Main, R Aitchison, S Guiney, B Miller, D Smith, J Gullan, S Noble (G Rose 86), R Craigie & S Paliczka.