No home comforts for Gala Fairydean Rovers as Spartans win 4-0 at Netherdale

Gala Fairydean Rovers' Ross Aitchison is all smiles after scoring the winner during their Scottish Lowland Football League game against Cumbernauld Colts at the weekend, but Tuesday night was a less happy occasion for the Borderers as they went down 4-0 at home to Spartans (Photo: Thomas Brown)

Gala Fairydean Rovers remain without a single point to their name at home this season after conceding four second-half goals to Spartans on Tuesday, July 27.

Goals from Michael Allan, Sam Newman, Scott Maxwell and Borderer Blair Henderson gave the visitors victory in front of a good-sized crowd at Netherdale.

The Galashiels side came into the game in improved form, having bounced back from their 3-0 home defeat by East Stirlingshire on the opening day of the new Scottish Lowland Football League season with a draw away to Bo’ness United and a last-minute win at Cumbernauld Colts last Saturday, July 24.

They managed to keep Edinburgh’s much-fancied Spartans at bay in the first half, thanks in part to a brilliant double save by new Gala goalkeeper Dean Beveridge, denying both Jamie Dishington and Henderson in the space of a few seconds.

Gala striker Daryl Healy gave the visitors’ back-line a difficult 90 minutes and he forced a good stop from Blair Carswell with a dipping half-volley from the edge of the box.

Dishington then almost set up Allan for the opener, but the left-back headed wide from just six yards out.

Allan did find the net eight minutes into the second half, though, as he fired high into the net after Gareth Rodger had cleared the ball off the Gala goal-line.

Five minutes later, it was 2-0 as an unfortunate mix-up between Beveridge and right-back Lewis Grant allowed Newman a tap-in from a few yards out.

Gala brought on Phil Addison and Zander Murray in an effort to get back into the game and almost did when Marc Berry's excellent driven cross was met by Healy's looping header, which was net-bound until Carswell made a brilliant fingertip save.

Instead, however, Spartans went three goals ahead on 74 minutes as substitute Maxwell produced a good finish from a tight angle.

Calum Hall should have scored from another superb Berry cross but the scoring was completed at the other end two minutes from time as Earlston's Henderson headed in from close range.

Rovers get their third chance of the season to break their home duck this coming Saturday, July 31, against Berwick Rangers. That game, bringing with it a rapid reunion with Gala’s leading goal-scorer last season, midfielder Scott-Taylor Mackenzie, kicks off at 3pm.

Gala Fairydean Rovers: D Beveridge, L Grant, C Hall, R Aitchison, G Rodger, J Beaumont, M Berry, C Chalmers, D Healy, M Scott, A Badara Touray. Subs: L Campbell, P Addison, Z Murray, L Gray, A Roue, K McRitchie.