Deja vu as Gala Fairydean Rovers end season with win v Gretna 2008
Gala Fairydean Rovers ended their latest Scottish Lowland Football League season on Saturday in much the same way as they wrapped up the one before, with a clean sheet and victory against Gretna 2008.
Their win at the weekend was at home rather than away this time round and by 3-0 rather than 2-0, but the biggest difference was that it wasn’t required to keep them up, manager Martin Scott’s Borderers having ended up six places clear of the fifth-tier division’s basement spot and there being no relegation at the end of this season in any event due to the league’s upcoming reorganisation.
Their 12th-placed finish out of 18 this month, on 41 points from 34 fixtures, sees them bow out five places and ten points better off than a year ago, having secured their survival back then on goal difference, with now-defunct Broomhill dropping out instead of them.
It’s their highest finish since they ended up 12th of 19 teams in 2023 on 49 points, having placed 16th on 32 and 17th on 31 in the interim.
Rovers’ scorers past visiting goalkeeper Harry Cross at Galashiels’ Netherdale Stadium on Saturday were Lewis Hall on 35 minutes and 86 and captain Jared Lyons from the penalty spot on 63.
Also starting for the hosts were Reece Murray in goal, Liam Fagan, Arnault Kasa, Gregor Lamb, Greg Macpherson, Ethan Dougal, Mo Adam, Che Reilly and Jamie Semple.
Rovers fielded all four of their substitutes, Lamb making way for Fletcher Patterson and Adam for Clark Bexfield on 57 minutes, Kasa for McKenzye Campbell on 62 and Dougal for Conal Shields on 67.
Their 13th league win of this season also extended their winning streak against Gretna to three games after beating them 4-1 in December’s reverse fixture in Dumfries and Galloway – with Danny Galbraith, Kieran Dolan at the double and Jamie Semple netting and Andrew Oram replying – and 2-0 on the road last April, with Liam Hoggan and Hall on target that time round.
Linlithgow Rose end the season as champions, on 75 points, though they’re ineligible to vie for promotion via play-offs due to non-compliance with Scottish Football Association rules. New boys Clydebank finish second on 73 and Bonnyrigg Rose third on 69.
Rovers’ win on Saturday was followed by their annual awards, with Keaghan Jacobs named as player of the year and also players’ player, Reilly as young player of the year and Galbraith and Semple as joint-top goal-scorers with 12 each in all competitions.