Trip to third-placed Syngenta next up for Rovers after South Challenge Cup exit

The Borderers are away to Syngenta at Stenhousemuir’s Ochilview Park, with kick-off at 7.45pm.

They go into that match 12th in the 18-team table, on 12 points from 11 games, nine league places and ten points worse off than their hosts, having played a game more.

Only a single goal separated Rovers from their EoSFL premier division opposition in Midlothian on Saturday, an 87th-minute Scott McCrory-Irving shot from distance.

Rovers’ scorers were captain Ross Lamb with a 59th-minute free-kick and Callum Mackenzie three minutes later.

Their hosts’ other scorers were Fletcher Hendry with a free-kick on 11 minutes and Cammy Fraser on 45.

Manager Ger Rossi was full of praise for the performance put in by Peebles against a side second in a division two tiers up from them, telling the club website: “We asked for a performance first and foremost and the boys gave us that and then some, and although nothing was achieved in the way of a result, the positives we take away more than outshine any negatives.

“For large parts of the game, we controlled our areas extremely well.

“Over the piece, we maybe even created the better chances.

“In the dying embers of the second half, it was almost one of those frustrating compliments that a team with all the resources at their disposal were taking the ball into the corner to see out the game. I think that told its own story.

“A magnificent finish from Cal Mackenzie and a free-kick out of the top drawer again from our skipper Ross Lamb pushed a strong Penicuik side all the way.

“We were undone, however, by a throw-in that was actually given our way to then be overruled, and we didn’t react quickly enough as our players pushed forward.

“No doubt, it was a punch in the throat. To lose the game in that kind of fashion is a reminder that the game can be extremely cruel.”