With Spartans Whites out of action, Edinburgh South took the opportunity to go top of Division 3 with a narrow win over fellow challengers Gala Fairydean Rovers.

Gala could have gone level with Spartans themselves had they taken the points and it really could have gone either way.

In fact they could probably lay claim to having been the better side in the first half, with South then taking over in the second.

It was the away side who struck first, Andrew Buameh’s goal coming after only 4 minutes. Lee Macrae brought it level with some individual brilliance and both teams had chances to go on and win the game but it was Edinburgh who took one of theirs with a James Wilson penalty. Gala gave everything they had towards the end but it was not to be.

Front man Buameh was alert early on to pounce on a bouncing ball and knock it past Kyle Cockburn.

Fairydean Rovers responded and Josh Lamb’s shot from the edge was deflected wide after he was fed by Declan Bell.

The equaliser came in 19 minutes and it was courtesy of lovely skill by Macrae. The winger tricked his way to the byline before cutting in and squeezing a cute effort in at the near post.

Jack Noble was growing in influentiality and he had a low shot saved by Dillon Wilson after playing a one-two with Bell.

It was nip and tuck and Conor Stewart had two efforts on the other goal. He managed to work space for himself in the first instance but Cockburn held his shot and then he hit a curler over the bar.

South took control after the break. Thomas Smith hit the post after Euan Healy’s effort from distance had been blocked when he was set up by Floyed Matthews.

Harry Churchmichael was denied by Sean Curran who headed his shot away and Buameh raced through again but his half volley went just wide.

The Edinburgh side had Monta Madjid to thank for winning the penalty kick from which James Wilson scored the winner. The full back ventured forward and played a neat exchange with Churchmichael before being tripped in the box. Wilson calmly slotted down the middle.

Gala really began to push in the last fifteen minutes and had several chances to level.

They thought they had done so when Daniel Cairnie met Lamb’s flighted corner with a strong header but the crossbar denied them the equaliser.

Two minutes later Macrae drove into the box and let go with a low effort which was blocked by a crowd of defenders.

A free kick from 35 yards by Lamb almost sneaked into the top corner but Dillon Wilson tipped it over.

After coming so close to taking a share of the spoils they almost fell further behind in the final minute. It was Stewart again and he was getting closer, this time rounding the keeper and hitting the post from a narrow angle. Byron Martin recovered the ball but his shot was blocked.