Cumbernauld Colts stretch unbeaten run with last gasp winner

But they left it late as full-back Richard Kirwan only sealed the points with a last-gasp winner.

The opening exchanges saw Gala enjoy the lion’s share of possession but Ross Doohan in the home goal remained completely untroubled.

The home side settled and Andy Selkirk drew an excellent save from the Gala ’keeper after connecting with a Kirkwan cross following his marauding run down the left flank.

Jamie Barclay exchanged passes with Stephen O’Neill before crashing a left foot drive off the bar and Blair Munn then fizzed a low 20-yard drive inches wide.

The visiting goal led a charmed life as the Gala ’keeper made another fantastic save from an Andy Ward header and Ward then headed just over from a jamie Broadfoot corner.

The only real moment of danger in the first half for Colts was a Gala breakaway that led to Robbie Duncan finding himself 2v1 against the Gala attack, but the full-back did brilliantly to delay the attacker, allowing his teammates to get back and avert the danger.

After the break Colts lifted their tempo for 20 minutes, playing some delightful football which should have provided more than a single goal.

The breakthrough came when Broadfoot drove in a wonderful corner from the left and Ward again rose above everyone to power home as header.

Broadfoot, O’Neill and Selkirk had further efforts on goal and Munn found himself on the end of a fine flowing move from the right, but fired the bouncing cross first time over the bar from 12 yards.

At the other end a short Gala corner saw a fine delivery into the box headed onto the foot of the post before being pawed away to safety by Doohan.

Broadfoot curled a shot just wide after a one-two with Selkirk and O’Neill showed great feet to skip past two challenges inside the area and, after his shot was blocked, kept the ball to find Kirwan who played in Jonathan Black who shot over.

But Colts were stunned in the 80th minute when Gala equalised with their first - and only - effort on target when Jamie Gibson fired powerfully into Doohan’s bottom left from 18 yards, giving the ’keeper no chance.

To their credit Colts though they picked themselves up and kept the pressure on their visitors.

Having dropped points to injury time goals against Edinburgh City and East Kilbride already this season at Broadwood, they seemed intent that this time, it would be them with a stoppage time winner. And it came from the impressive Kirwan.

All afternoon the fullback had caused Gala problems with his pace, power and dribbling and when Black nicked the ball from the Gala centre back it was Kirwan again offering on the outside. Black played him in

Kirwan, driving into the box and slotting calmly to the keepers left to make it 2-1 Colts with the final whistle going right on the restart.

Colts are now nine games unbeaten in all competitions and have won their last four to leave them in good heart for their Scottish Cup third round tie against Stirling Albion at Forthbank on Saturday.