Frustration for new manager Gordon Herd as Linlithgow Rose are knocked out of Scottish Cup

There was frustration for new Linlithgow Rose gaffer Gordon Herd on Saturday as his first game in charge resulted in a 2-1 home defeat by Banks O’Dee in the Scottish Cup preliminary round.
Gordon Herd got off to a losing start as Linlithgow Rose manager (Library pic by Alan Murray)Gordon Herd got off to a losing start as Linlithgow Rose manager (Library pic by Alan Murray)
Gordon Herd got off to a losing start as Linlithgow Rose manager (Library pic by Alan Murray)

Although Thomas Halleran’s brilliant run and shot levelled Jack Henderson's early opener for Dee, the visitors won it with a late Mark Gilmour penalty.

“I think it’s been the story of Linlithgow’s season, late goals,” Herd said.

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"I thought the first 20 minutes of the game we were miles off it in terms of quality, work-rate and application in what we’re looking for as a management team.

"Then we managed to get to grips with their shape and it was a wee bit better at the end of the first half.

"Second half was much better in terms of work-rate and application but the quality in the final third kind of let us down. Then we’ve conceded that late penalty at the end.

"All credit to Banks O’Dee, they’re a good side. We knew they were unbeaten this season in their league and have taken a few Highland League scalps as well.

"We just need to keep going. We know what needs done here.

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"I think there’s a bit of a mentality check that needs to change here.

"I don't think the players realise how much of a scalp Linlithgow Rose is."

Linlithgow’s cause wasn't helped by losing Alan Docherty due to coronavirus and the fact that David Brownlie was missing after requesting to leave the club.

"It wasn’t easy losing big Al and David Brownlie,” Herd, speaking to Rose’s Twitter account, added. “But David’s come to us, we’re just in the door and he’s wanting to leave.

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"So I’m not going to keep anybody that’s unhappy at the club so we’ve decided to move him on.

"Ideally we would have had him for today but we’ve got to look what’s best for the club and it was best for David to move on.

"Losing big Al, big Al’s a top, top player at this level so it didn’t help us but we should have a squad to be able to cope with that and we’ve just fallen short.”

Rose’s scheduled East of Scotland Premier Division match at Tranent on Tuesday night was postponed due to Covid related circumstances.

Linlithgow host Broxburn in the league this Saturday, KO 2.30pm.