Gala Fairydean Rovers captain wins appeal against red card

Galbraith was sent off for the first time in his career 70 minutes into the Galashiels side’s 3-1 victory over their visitors on Tuesday, October 27, for alleged violent conduct.

The Galashiels-born 30-year-old was judged by referee George Calder to have struck out at Spartans defender John Grant after being manhandled to the ground and then prevented from taking a quick free-kick awarded for a foul against him.

The former Hibernian winger has now been cleared by Scottish Football Association officials after a tribunal was shown video footage of the incident exonerating him, though, meaning that the two-match ban he faced has been dropped.

Happily for Rovers, that officiating error didn’t cost them the game as they went on to add a further goal to the 2-1 scoreline at that point during the following 20-plus minutes they had to play with a man missing.

Gala continue their Scottish Lowland Football League campaign with a trip up to North Lanarkshire this Saturday, November 7, at 3pm to face Cumbernauld Colts at their Broadwood Stadium.

After that, Neil Hastings’ side have two home games lined up at the Netherdale 3G Arena, against Edinburgh University at 7.45pm on Tuesday, November 10, and against third-placed BSC Glasgow at 3pm on Saturday, November 14.

Rovers currently sit ninth in their league with nine points after five games, having won three and lost two.

That’s five behind their Glaswegian visitors the weekend after next but five more than 12th-placed Colts and six more than 14th-placed Edinburgh Uni.

On Sunday, Rovers’ under-14s’ team host Lauder at the 3G arena, kicking off at 10.30am, and their under-15s are at home to Peebles, kicking off at 1pm.