22/04/2017  |  League

Cumbernauld Colts   1  v  1  Gala Fairydean

THE COLTS ended their Scottish Lowland League campaign by clinching a top six finish despite being held by Gala Fairydean at Broadwood.

Gala danger man Stuart Noble opened the scoring for the visitors only for Johnny Black to respond almost immediately for Colts in an entertaining first half.

And Black was presented with the best of Colts second half chances as the Cumbernauld men looked for the win which would have secured fifth place.

But it was to be a frustrating afternoon for James Orr and Craig McKinlay's men who had to settle for a sixth place finish narrowly missing out on fifth spot only by goal difference to Dalbeattie Star.

Colts started the game slowly and the visitors almost made them pay in the early exchanges with Sean Atchison and Kieran Ainslie both going close to opening the scoring with headers from set pieces.

The men from the Borders were causing Colts problems each time they ventured forward and in 22 minutes Darren Smith and Sean Paliczka combined well only for Paliczka to fire wide of the target.

But it was Colts who carved open the first real chance of the game in 24 minutes when Craig Murray found Stephen O'Neill with a neat through ball but the normally clinical O'Neill lobbed his effort narrowly over the bar.

However it was the visitors who deservedly went in front in 41 minutes when Noble was gifted too much space in the box to turn onto his left foot and lash a shot high past Chris Fahey from 15 yards.

But Colts showed great character to hit back 2 minutes later when Andy Hunter did well to break into the right side of the box and pull the ball back for Black who made no mistake with a low crisp finish from 8 yards leaving Gala keeper Kieran Wright helpless.

Colts started the second period much brighter and almost edged in front in 55 minutes when youngster Fraser Sheridan went close with a rasping left foot drive which went just wide of Wright's right hand post.

The home side then swapped Sheridan for the experienced Jamie Broadfoot in 70 minutes and his first action after coming on the field was to take a free kick from the edge of the box which he curled narrowly over the bar.

And Colts created another good opening in 74 minutes when O'Neill found space on the left before picking out Black at the back post but the wide man didn't trouble Wright with his tame effort.

However the visitors were biding their time and they almost got their noses back in front with 10 minutes remaining when George Windram's header fell kindly for Lewis Swaney who crashed a shot off the bar from close range.

And then Noble and Atchison both really should have scored with around 5 minutes remaining as Gala turned up the pressure but Fahey made a tremendous double save to deny the visitors all three points.

But there was time for one final chance for Colts to end their league campaign on a high when Black found himself unmarked at the back post after great play on the left by O'Neill but Black volleyed wide when he really should have found the net.

The Broadwood men now turn their attention to Lowland League Cup duty when they face BSC Glasgow at Broadwood this coming Friday evening.

Cumbernauld Colts; Fahey, Hunter, Fergus, Pirrie, Ward, Lachlan, O'Neill, Murray, Brown, Black, Sheridan. Subs; Broadfoot, Barclay, McKenzie, Batchelor, Ballantyne, Bateman, Byrne.

Gala Fairydean; Wright, Stephen, Swaney, Windram, Ainslie, Bonnar, Smith, Miller, Noble, Paliczka, Atchison. Subs; Temple, Krones, G. Brown, D. Brown, Bonnigton, Shiel.