Linlithgow Rose paid the penalty as they let a two goal lead slip before sending four spot-kicks over the bar as they suffered East of Scotland Cup final agony.
Gordon Herd’s men looked well placed to make it three trophies in the space of 12 months but a late collapse against Lowland League outfit Gala Fairydean Rovers saw them game end in a 2-2 draw.
Despite Lewis McMinn’s penalty heroics as he saved three Rovers attempts, it was the Gala faithful cheering as they won a dramatic contest 4-3 on penalties.
The two sides had played out last season’s EoS Qualifying Cup final with the Rose coming away 3-1 victors on that occasion and it looked very much like things would be repeating themselves at Whitehill Welfare’s Ferguson Park.
Linlithgow got off to the best possible start as Connor McMullan nodded home Mark Stowe’s free-kick inside the first minute with a delicate header beyond Ruairidh Adams.
The East of Scotland Premier Division leaders created the better chances in the first-half but were unable to add to their lead with Stowe in particular proving a threat down the right flank.
He fired over when well placed then saw Adams produce a great save to tipping a curling effort away before smashing the crossbar.
The pair were at the centre of what at the time appeared to be the decisive moment in the tie just two minutes before half-time when Stowe raced onto a quick free-kick only to be wiped out by the onrushing Adams - who was promptly shown a red card.
Gala, managed by former Livingston players Jimmy Scott and Steven Craig, were able to reset during the interval but Linlithgow seemingly had the game wrapped up just shy of the hour mark as Alan Docherty dinked the ball over substitute keeper Ryan Kidd and into the far corner.
A string of changes seemed to disrupt the flow before Gala were handed a lifeline in the contest on 67 minutes as Alex Webb was ruled to have barged Danny Galbraith inside the box. The ex-Hibs man duly dusted himself down and smashed his effort beyond McMinn.
Barely seconds later, slack defending allowed Gregor Nicol to race through on goal but he lacked composure and skied over as Rovers looked for a quick-fire double.
The contest became scrappy and frantic with both teams searching for a crucial goal - which so nearly arrived eight minutes from time as Greg Skinner rattled the bar for the Rose.
However, Gala’s determination was rewarded on 86 minutes as Ciaren Greene rose the highest at the back post to nod home a dramatic equaliser for the 10-men.
Linlithgow were able to repel near constant pressure for the remaining minutes only to fluff their lines in the penalty shoot-out.
Dale Baxter, Sandy Cunningham and Jack Ogilvie all skied their efforts to cancel out McMinn’s stunning saves from Gregor Jordan, Lewis Hall and Nicol as both sides missed three of their five penalties.
Liam Allison for Linlithgow and then Rover’s Callum Hall netted in the first sudden death spot-kicks before Webb blasted his strike over Kidd’s bar.
That allowed Ciaren Chalmers to be the Gala hero as he rolled the winning penalty home and leave Linlithgow stunned.
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