Performance hailed by boss Martin Scott as outstanding fails to stop winless streak stretching to seven games for Gala Fairydean Rovers

Seven league games have now gone by without the Galashiels side adding to the three victories in a row they picked up in late July and early August, but it wasn’t for want of trying that they didn’t get a fourth – or at least a point – at home to the Glaswegian giants’ colts at Netherdale at the weekend.

They got in front twice, thanks to goals by Lewis Hall on 20 and 62 minutes, though they were cancelled out by equalisers from Adam Brooks on 59 and Rocco Vata on 77, and even managed to get back on level terms, thanks to a Ciaren Chalmers effort on 85 minutes, after Matthew Anderson had put the visitors ahead for the first time with ten minutes to go. They were denied the consolation of what would have their first point since a 0-0 draw away to Tranent Juniors at the end of August, however, by a second Brooks goal a minute ahead of the final whistle and instead had a third league loss on the bounce inflicted on them.

Rovers player-manager Martin Scott was encouraged by his side’s display, though, insisting that a home win would have been a fairer reflection of the game.

“Our performance levels were really, really good,” he said.

“I think anyone at the game would see that we pushed Celtic all the way and probably deserved three points, but ultimately we came away with nothing. It’s disappointing in that aspect, but in terms of the reaction we got from our players and how we want to play, I think that’s the first time since Tranent that they really showed a bit of desire during a game and also played in the right manner as well.

“I don’t think we’ve been too far away in terms of performance probably since the Tranent game, but what I do think is that our play overall’s been safe. I don’t think we’ve asked enough questions of the opposition. We’ve been kind of playing side to side a lot of the time, and that wasn’t an instruction we’ve been giving the players.

“We had a chat and I said to them ‘I don’t know why we’re reluctant to play that penetrating pass’, and today against a full-time side full of young athletes, we showed we can be so dangerous when we mix up our play and have that variety in our play and go in behind and in between centre-backs and full-backs and have willing runners in behind.

“Outwith the goals we conceded, to a man I thought every one of them was outstanding.

“The starting 11 gave me everything and that’s all you can ask for. When you get the opportunity, go and grasp it and show me that you want to stay in the side, and I said that to them – if you perform like that, you’ll stay in the side.

“I’d rather go with guys that are committed and play with that enthusiasm and that desire and belief that they can go and compete with anyone in the league.

“In terms of positives, they’ve set a standard, I think, in terms of how to play, how to be on the front foot, how to press, how to play in behind teams and ask questions and I fully expect them to build on that performance today. The performance was there, the result wasn’t.”

Next up for Rovers, currently 15th in the table with 11 points from as many games, is a visit from basement side Dalbeattie Star tomorrow, October 4, with kick-off at 7.45pm, followed by a trip to tenth-placed Bo’ness United on Saturday, October 8, for a 3pm kick-off.