Injury time heartache for Rovers' cup hopes

Tullibody Community AFC....2

Rovers welcomed Stirling & District League side Tullibody Community AFC for a Scottish Cup second round tie.

Unfortunately for the home side it was only the weather that remained ideal as Rovers crashed out of the cup to a goal deep into injury time.

Rovers started brightly enough and had a good opportunity after three minutes when Lee Allan broke through on goal only to be denied by the visitors’ keeper as he saved well at the striker’s feet.

Tullibody responded quickly and Scott Barclay in the Pittenweem goal had to make a double block to deny the striker’s attempts in the fifth minute.

Tullibody had another good effort in the 30th minute and Barclay saved well, again, at the expense of a corner.

From the corner, Tullibody took the lead as the kick was whipped in from the left and a near post header turned the ball into the net.

Rovers tried to get back on terms but Tullibody went in, deservedly, 1-0 up at half time.

The second half panned out in similar fashion with the home keeper the busier of the two.

Tullibody had Rovers on the back foot for most of the half as the home side never really matched their opponents energy levels.

Barclay made several one on one blocks to keep Pittenweem in the hunt but were unable to conjure up anything constructive at the other end.

Rovers were thrown a lifeline in the 82nd minute when Lee Allan was upended in the box and a penalty awarded.

Mark Wilkie made no mistake with the spot kick, sending the keeper one way and the ball the other to make the score 1-1.

Tullibody kept pressing, despite losing their lead, and continued to force Pittenweem into making needless mistakes.

The visitors’ persistence paid off in injury time when Tullibody swept the ball into the net to win the tie in the 95th minute.