Gala Fairydean Rovers and Vale of Leithen in pre-season friendly action ahead of first meeting for two years next week

The Borderers host East of Scotland Football League premier division side Musselburgh Athletic at their Netherdale Stadium home ground this weekend.

They’ll be playing for the John McLay Memorial Cup as a tribute to the supporter of both clubs of that name following his death in June last year at the age of 68.

Kick off is at 2.30pm. with admission priced at £5 for adults and £3 for concessions.

There will also be a collection for the My Name’s Doddie Foundation, the motor neurone disease charity set up by late Scotland rugby star Doddie Weir, of nearby Blainslie, in 2017.

The East Lothian outfit’s visit this Saturday will be Rovers’ third warm-up match of their pre-season schedule following two away-days over the last week.

They drew 3-3 with Scottish League Two’s Edinburgh City last Wednesday at Broxburn’s Albyn Park and lost 2-0 at Scottish Championship new boys Hamilton Academical’s New Douglas Park on Saturday.

Following Saturday’s pre-season debut at Netherdale, manager Martin Scott’s Rovers are away to EoSFL second division side Vale of Leithen next Tuesday, July 9, with kick-off at Victoria Park at 7.30pm.

That’ll be the Innerleithen outfit’s fourth pre-season friendly following a 3-2 loss away to the EoSFL top flight’s Hutchison Vale on Saturday and visits from a Heart of Midlothian XI this Thursday, July 4, with kick-off at 7.15pm, and upcoming EoSFL second division rivals Coldstream on Saturday, at 3pm.

That’ll be the Streamers’ first friendly of the summer as a scheduled visit from Earlston Rhymers on Saturday was called off.

Fairydean and Vale’s most recent meeting was a 3-0 Scottish Lowland Football League Cup away play-off victory for the former in April 2022 ahead of the latter dropping three divisions to their forthcoming eighth-tier home.

Fellow EoSFL second division team Peebles Rovers beat the third division’s Hawick Royal Albert 2-0 at home on Saturday in what was both’s first pre-season friendly.

Peebles play their second at home to Preston Athletic tonight, July 1, at 7pm, and their third this Saturday away to further first division opposition, Blackburn United, at 2pm.

Albert are away to the first division’s Whitehill Welfare in Edinburgh this Thursday, at 8pm, but their next scheduled friendly after that isn’t until Saturday, July 13, at home to second division rivals Tweedmouth Rangers, at 2.30pm.

The Royalists’ third division rivals Linton Hotspur lost 3-2 away to Scottish Junior Football Association east region premier league north side Scone Thistle in St Andrews at the weekend and they’re on the road again this Saturday at Tweedmouth, with kick-off at Old Shielfield at 2.30pm.

Fairydean’s next friendly after Tuesday is a visit from EoSFL first division side Newtongrange Star on Saturday, July 20, at 12.30pm and Vale’s is a trip to EoSFL third division team Ormiston Primrose on the same date, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

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