Gala Fairydean Rovers: Skipper Danny Galbraith hails side's fantastic six-game unbeaten run

Goals from Ciaran Greene, Liam Watt (2) and Jamie Semple put Rovers on easy street before Gretna struck on 57 minutes through Robbie Ivison.

The Southern Reporter asked Gala Fairydean skipper Danny Galbraith the reasons for a recent turnaround for Martin Scott’s side which has come after a below par start to the season which saw Rovers only win once and draw once in their opening six games of the 2023-24 campaign.

The Galashiels born 33-year-old midfield ace replied: “We’ve just been continuing to do what we’ve been doing. I don’t think anything’s changed as such.

"I think we had a pretty tough run of fixtures earlier in the season. Although the scorelines were certainly more excessive than we wanted them to be, perhaps from the outside it looked like there was more wrong than there actually was.

"I think we always had the belief that we were kind of a work in progress and things were going in the right direction and thankfully we’ve seen that in results which adds some substance to what it is we’re trying to do.

"It would have been very easy to lose belief after the start we had and I think that could well have happened if we had let the scorelines dictate everything else.

"We have got a lot of new players this year and I think it probably takes a few months for them to bed in.

"In recent weeks we’ve managed to get the results that have kind of backed up the performances.”

Two-goal Watt earned the man-of-the-match award against Gretna and Galbraith is a fan of the player.

"One of Liam’s main qualities is that he can play in a variety of different roles,” the captain added.

“But playing in a similar position in the last few games has helped him. He’s a really good football player who will excel in our team because of the way we try to play.

"As a team we all know how important he is to us.

"Liam has been playing next to Jack Beaumont and I’ve been kind of playing slightly further forward the last few weeks.

"There's kind of three of us in midfield but the two of them are in support of me so to speak.

"We had quite a few injuries earlier in the season where Jack missed a few games and we had to shuffle things about.

"It meant that Liam Watt actually played right centre back at Linlithgow which is certainly not his position. He would probably be more comfortable playing in a wide area.”

Rovers, seventh with 17 points from 11 games, travel to Motherwell this Saturday to take on 13th-placed Caledonian Braves in the league, kick-off 3pm.

Galbraith said: “I know from the games against them in the last few seasons that it’s never been an easy game, probably about equal in terms of wins, losses and draws over the period.

"I think we are fully aware that we can beat any team on our day. But if we’re not at it, the nature of this league is that anybody can beat anybody.

"There is absolutely no chance of us going into this game thinking that we’re the favourites.

"I think that was the most pleasing thing about Saturday is that it was a very similar game.

"Gretna have turned a corner at the lower end of the league and we have really struggled in games like that so far this season.

"But I think we really approached that game with the right attitude. We were really at it from the first whistle and had the game wrapped up at half-time really.

"We’ll need to do exactly the same this Saturday if we’re to win, that’s for sure.”