That 3-1 win at Netherdale Stadium in Galashiels was secured by goals from Kieran Dolan on 46 minutes and 75 and Joe Wylie four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game, with Lucas Stenhouse getting one back for manager Stuart Hunter’s visitors from the penalty spot on 79.
That was Rovers’ first league win since they edged out Stirling University by 1-0 back in mid-March but their second on the bounce in all competitions, following a 4-2 South Region Challenge Cup second-round knockout of East of Scotland Football League first division table-toppers Camelon Juniors at home seven days prior.
It was also the first time manager Martin Scott’s Borderers have recorded back-to-back successes since they got the better of Linlithgow Rose by 3-0 at home and then East Stirlingshire away by 1-0 at the start of February and winger Danny Galbraith, their captain at the weekend, is hoping they can keep up that return to winning ways hosting Banks o’ Dee in the Scottish Cup’s first round this coming Saturday.
Kick-off against their Scottish Highland Football League opponents is at 3pm.
“The performances we’ve been putting in have probably deserved better at times, but ultimately you’ve got to make it happen, so it was good to get that first league win of the season out of the way on Saturday,” said Galbraith, at Fairydean since 2019 except for one season, 2021/22, on Bo’ness’s books.
“You can put in good performances but you need to get the points too to really benefit from them, and hopefully Saturday’s result is going to set us on the right path.
“Our performance against Camelon was good too, and obviously we got the result, albeit in the cup, and that bred confidence going into the weekend.
“We went into Saturday looking to go and win, so to back that up was great.
“For us, it was about winning and that’s something we want to take into this weekend.
“It’s going to be a really difficult game. It’s a tough draw and we’re going to have to be at our best to go through, but that’s what our intention is.”
Their first win of the new season leaves Fairydean third from bottom of the table and level on seven points with 15th-placed Cowdenbeath, though they’ve played ten games to the Fifers’ nine.
Next up for them in the league is a trip to third-placed Linlithgow – currently on 21 points from ten fixtures – next Tuesday, October 1, with kick-off at 7.45pm, and that’s another fixture Galbraith is looking forward to despite Gala having lost to the West Lothian side home and away in the league last season, by 6-1 last December and 5-0 last August respectively ahead of a 3-0 league cup win hosting them this year.
“Matches are coming thick and fast and they don’t get any easier but we’ve just got concentrate on our game and hopefully we’ll be OK,” said the 34-year-old.
Fairydean are one of two Borders teams in first-round action in the cup this weekend, the others being former fifth-tier rivals Vale of Leithen
The Innerleithen outfit, now in the East of Scotland Football League’s second division, are hitting the road to Dumfries and Galloway to take on Threave Rovers.
Kick off in Castle Douglas against their West of Scotland Football League third division hosts is also at 3pm.
Round two of the cup will be played on or around Saturday, October 26.

1. Gala Fairydean Rovers v Bo’ness United
Danny Galbraith on the attack during Gala Fairydean Rovers’ 3-1 win at home to Bo’ness United at Netherdale on Saturday in the Scottish Lowland Football League (Photo: Brian Sutherland) Photo: Brian Sutherland

2. Gala Fairydean Rovers v Bo’ness United
Daniel Irving going up against Kieran Dolan during Gala Fairydean Rovers’ 3-1 win at home to Bo’ness United at Netherdale on Saturday in the Scottish Lowland Football League (Photo: Brian Sutherland) Photo: Brian Sutherland

3. Gala Fairydean Rovers v Bo’ness United
Martin Scott watching Gala Fairydean Rovers’ 3-1 win at home to Bo’ness United at Netherdale on Saturday in the Scottish Lowland Football League (Photo: Brian Sutherland) Photo: Brian Sutherland

4. Gala Fairydean Rovers v Bo’ness United
Liam Hoggan on the ball during Gala Fairydean Rovers’ 3-1 win at home to Bo’ness United at Netherdale on Saturday in the Scottish Lowland Football League (Photo: Brian Sutherland) Photo: Brian Sutherland