Borders football derby planned in Galashiels for New Year's Day called off due to Covid-19 cases

Gala Fairydean Rovers' Martin Scott playing against Vale of Leithen in September (Photo: Thomas Brown)

That game had been due to kick off at 3pm this coming Saturday, January 1, at the Former’s Netherdale home ground but has now been postponed to a date yet to be fixed.

The reverse fixture, at the Innerleithen side’s Victoria Park at the start of September, went their Galashiels visitors’ way by a scoreline of 8-0.

Daryl Healy put manager Neil Hastings’ Rovers side ahead from the penalty spot on 10 minutes, Zander Murray doubled their lead a minute later, Healy netted on 14 minutes, Marc Berry scored on 20, Murray got his second on 25 and his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time, Berry added goal number two on 56 and Martin Scott got Gala’s eighth with a quarter of an hour left to play.

Their last meeting before that was a 3-1 win for Vale at Netherdale in December 2019, that being the last time they’d picked up all three points until they beat Bo’ness United 1-0 away earlier this month under new head coach Grant Sandison.

Gala are currently ninth in the league with 30 points from 20 games and Vale bottom with four from 24.