Bathgate started the game brightly and had 3 chances in the first 15 minutes. Easton then Thomson firing past from 20 yards. Swan then cut in from the left and shot wide on his right foot. After 21 minutes Glenrothes had a free kick just outside the box but this drifted past the post.
Malone then missed a header from 8 yards out but he was under pressure from the defender. 30 minutes in and Glenrothes whipped a cross in from the left which went right across the box eluding everyone. HT 0-0.

2 minutes into the second half and the Glenrothes keeper Redpath was adjudged to have picked up a back bass on his six yard line. The ball was rolled to Swan but the keeper made amends by saving his low drive. after 52 minutes Martin missed a great chance for Glenrothes when he headed past unmarked from 8 yards.

Bathgate made the breakthrough in 55 minutes when Malone was brought down in the box and White converted a low drive for the penalty to the keepers left.

Bathgate then had 2 great chances to extend their lead – Swan beat 3 men in the box and laid it off to Malone but his shot was blocked by a last gasp challenge. Right after this Thomson burst forward to the edge of the box and lobbed Redpath in goal but the ball drifted just over the bar. Bathgate were to regret that after 72 minutes when another cross from the right was buried by the unmarked Martin, heading in from 8 yards out.

The game ended in controversial fashion in the final minutes when there was a scramble in the Bathgate box and a Glenrothes player slipped without a challenge. The referee saw it different and awarded Glenrothes a penalty and gave Reid in the Bathgate goal a straight red card. Bathgate’s assistant manager Peter McIntyre was then sent off for protesting. Central defender Robinson took over in goal but couldn’t save Martin’s penalty.

From the kick off White shot straight for goal and his effort was tipped into the net by keeper Redpath. The referee ruled this out much to the dismay of the Bathgate players. He later admitted after the game that he had made a mistake.

FT – Glentrothes 2 Bathgate 1

Glenrothes – Redpath, Kinness, McRae, Grierson, Pearson, Paterson, Napier, Simpson, Martin, Griffin, Hendry. Subs: Celentano, McKie, Anderson, Deas.

Bathgate – Reid, Watson, Lawson, Dougan, Robinson, Easton, Thomson, Baird, Malone, White, Swan. Subs: Drummond, Byle, Coyle.