Gala Fairydean Rovers 1 - 2 Formartine United
Scottish Cup - 2nd Round replaySaturday, October 26th, 2019, 3:00 PM at Netherdale, Galashiels
Attendance: 200
Referee: Stewart Luke
Gala Fairydean Rovers | Formartine United |
Goalscorers |
Jacob Campbell (67) |
Garry Wood (59) Stuart Smith (73) |
Team Managers |
Neil Hastings | Paul Lawson |
Starting Eleven |
Fraser Morton Levi Kinchant Alex Chingwalu Lewis Grant Ben Herdman Scott Taylor Mackenzie Marc Berry Niall Kelly Alex Murray Danny Galbraith Jacob Campbell |
Kevin Main Craig McKeown Michael Clark Darryn Kelly Stuart Smith Stuart Anderson Andrew Greig Graeme Rodger Aaron Norris Scott Lisle Garry Wood |
Bench |
David Bonnar Philip Addsion Dino Leddle Ryan Kenneth Mayer Ross Aitchison Fernando Yafa Mendes Kit McRitchie |
Errol Watson Paul Lawson Wayne Mackintosh Liam Strachan Conor Gethins Gary McGowan |
Substitutions |
Ryan Kenneth Mayer for Niall Kelly (59) Philip Addison for Marc Berry (65) Ross Aitchison for Jacob Campbell (86) |
Gary McGowan for Scott Lisle (60) Conor Gethins for Andrew Greig (80) Liam Strachan for Graeme Rodger (80) |
Bookings |
Marc Berry (41) |
Gary McGowan (90) |
Red Cards |
None. | None. |
Appearances & Goals To Date
Kevin Main (GK) | 64 apps | - | |
Craig McKeown | 131 apps | 19 goals | |
Michael Clark | 18 apps | 3 goals | |
Darryn Kelly | 5 apps | 1 goal | |
Stuart Smith | 246 apps | 24 goals | |
Stuart Anderson | 221 apps | 34 goals | |
Andrew Greig | 79 apps | 25 goals | |
Graeme Rodger | 203 apps | 69 goals | |
Aaron Norris | 38 apps | 3 goals | |
Scott Lisle | 19 apps | 11 goals | |
Garry Wood | 160 apps | 78 goals | |
Liam Strachan (sub) | 16 apps | - | |
Conor Gethins (sub) | 124 apps | 45 goals | |
Gary McGowan (sub) | 22 apps | 8 goals |
Starting Lineup
Youngest Player: | Scott Lisle (21 years 177 days) |
Oldest Player: | Kevin Main (37 years 226 days) |
Average Player Age: | 29 years 111 days |
Domestic Players: | 11 (100.00 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
Youngest Player: | Liam Strachan (20 years 354 days) |
Oldest Player: | Kevin Main (37 years 226 days) |
Average Player Age: | 30 years 147 days |
Domestic Players: | 16 (94.12 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
It was never easy and seldom bonny as Formartine battled their way to a well deserved place in the 3rd round of The William Hill Scottish Cup. Last week's 2-2 draw at North Lodge had given them the lifeline of this replay at Netherdale, Galashiels and despite the long journey a few dozen of the United faithful were on hand to enjoy a superb battling display that earned their team victory against a well organised and very determined outfit from the Lowland League.
The home side tried to catch United cold and pressed aggressively from the opening whistle but the visitors were having none of it and were very quick to close down attacking players. Taylor-Mackenzie played in Campbell, who exchanged passes with Kelly before letting fly with a vicious drive that forced a top drawer diving save from Main. However a pattern of commitment to attack by both sides meant a lot of action in and around each box with rather less within them. In the fourth minute United showed their teeth. Stuart Smith clearing up at the back advanced enough to feed Greig who got the better of Chingwalu and whipped in a cross that Wood got his head to, forcing Morton to full stretch to tip the ball to safety. It was emerging as a very physical but not dirty game. Tackles were quick and fierce but generally fair. Rodger and Lisle were working hard in the inside channels and in the 24th minute a run through inside right by the former was completed by a full blast 25 yard drive that Morton just managed to beat away after parrying the ball to his feet. Minutes later Main leapt spectacularly to deny Kelly whose cannonball shot off Berry's feed had looked all but net-bound. As the interval approached, United were beginning to sustain pressure for longer periods than Gala looked comfortable with, and gained increasing territorial advantage.
This pattern continued after the break and it looked that if the deadlock were to be broken it would be United that would do so. WOOD was a real physical threat up top and Gala put two markers on him almost continually but even that wasn't enough to contain him in the 59th minute as he took a ball in from wider left by Greig. Shielding it and holding off his markers he turned 180 degrees to lash the ball high into the net from 15 yards.
Gala responded with a fairly fortunate opportunity when in the 66th minute a moment of confusion or indecision by Kelly let a chip from Kinchant over his head and through to CAMPBELL who chested it down and finished with a low drive into the bottom left corner. However United were now the dominant side and their pressure was becoming relentless. An Anderson free kick found McGowan at the back post. In a crowded box he hammered the ball goalward. It looked netbound but Grant, attempting to clear, was beaten by SMITH who deflected the ball into the net wrong-footing keeper Morton in the process.
The remaining 17 minutes were fairly well controlled by United but Gala throwing caution to the winds tried all they knew to get back on terms. A brilliant finger tip save of a viciously deflected shot from sub Addison, by Main ensured United progression although with Rovers committed to attack, holes at the back meant United went very close to adding another couple through McGowan (who missed by inches) and Norris, who hesitated in front of a near open goal.
Match report by Colin Keenan
Photography by Ian Rennie