Gala Fairydean Rovers glad to get back to Netherdale despite defeat, says winger Danny Galbraith

Gala Fairydean Rovers captain Gareth Rodger winning a header against Berwick Rangers on Saturday (Photo: Thomas Brown)

Rovers played their first home game of the new Scottish Lowland Football League season on Saturday but it wasn’t the return they’d been hoping for as they lost 2-0 to Berwick Rangers.

Liam Buchanan put the Northumbrians ahead on 51 minutes and Michael Travis doubled their lead 20 minutes later, earning their side all three points as their hosts weren’t able to get back into their first league match at Netherdale in Galashiels since early May.

That result might have been a big disappointment but it was still good to be back in front of a home crowd, according to winger Danny Galbraith, back at Rovers after a season at fifth-tier rivals Bo’ness United.

Gala Fairydean Rovers winger Danny Galbraith holding the ball up during Saturday's 2-0 loss to Berwick Rangers (Pic: Thomas Brown)

“It was great to be back,” he said. “It seems like an age since the start of the season and even more so for me, not having played there for a bit longer than most of the boys.

“We were all desperate to get back after playing our opening nine games away from home.

“There’s nothing quite like playing at home, especially with all the excitement about the new pitch.”

He was also impressed with Rovers’ new 3G pitch, replaced as part of a £425,000 upgrade of facilities carried out at Netherdale over the summer, and reckons it will suit the type of football they’re aspiring to play better than its worn-out predecessor.

Gala Fairydean Rovers' Sam Nicolson being fouled during Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Berwick Rangers (Pic: Thomas Brown)

“It’s important that we make our home games tough fixtures to go to for opposition teams,” said Galbraith.

“The new pitch is like night and day compared to the old one as it was getting towards the end of its lifespan. I think the new one will probably need a few months to really bed in, as these things do, but in terms of what we’ve got now compared to what we had before, it’s absolutely brilliant, particularly for the style we want to play.”

Next up for Gala is a South Challenge Cup second-round tie away to East of Scotland Football League premier division outfit Musselburgh Athletic this Saturday, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

That’s followed by a Scottish Cup first-round tie at home to another premier division side, Clackmannanshire’s Sauchie Juniors, the weekend after and an East of Scotland Cup semi-final against League 1’s Kelty Hearts on Saturday, September 24.