​Tranent trip next up for Gala Fairydean Rovers after 0-0 midweek draw at home to Albion Rovers

Gala Fairydean Rovers halted a three-match losing streak with a goalless draw at home to Scottish Lowland Football League newcomers Albion Rovers on Tuesday and midfielder Danny Galbraith is hoping they can go one better this weekend by notching up their seventh win of the season.
By Darin Hutson
Published 8th Nov 2023, 12:45 BST
Updated 2nd Jan 2024, 18:47 BST
Gala Fairydean Rovers drawing 0-0 at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)Gala Fairydean Rovers drawing 0-0 at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)
Gala Fairydean Rovers drawing 0-0 at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)

​The Galashiels side are away to East Lothian’s Tranent Juniors this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm, and they go into that trip sitting seventh in the table, with 21 points from 16 fixtures, three league places and six points worse off than their hosts at Foresters Park.

“It’ll be a difficult game,” said Galbraith. “They’re one of the clubs being tipped, alongside East Kilbride, to challenge for the league title, so obviously it’ll be a tough game, but they all are.

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“It doesn’t matter who we play, if we’re at it and we show the best version of ourselves, we can beat anybody on our day, just like if we’re not quite at it, things can go the other way.

Quinn Mitchell challenging for the ball during Gala Fairydean Rovers' 0-0 draw at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)Quinn Mitchell challenging for the ball during Gala Fairydean Rovers' 0-0 draw at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)
Quinn Mitchell challenging for the ball during Gala Fairydean Rovers' 0-0 draw at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)

“The margins are pretty fine with us just now.”

This week’s draw against North Lanarkshire’s Albion Rovers followed a 2-1 loss, also at Netherdale, to Edinburgh’s Civil Service Strollers on Saturday and that result is a source of frustration for Galbraith as he felt the hosts should have come out of it with three points rather than none.

“It was very frustrating,” said the 33-year-old.

“I think we were by far the better team but ultimately you need to stop balls coming into your box and defend properly and be a bit more clinical in the opposition’s box and that’s what’s letting us down just now.

Ciaran Greene putting a challenge in during Gala Fairydean Rovers' 0-0 draw at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)Ciaran Greene putting a challenge in during Gala Fairydean Rovers' 0-0 draw at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)
Ciaran Greene putting a challenge in during Gala Fairydean Rovers' 0-0 draw at home to Albion Rovers on Tuesday (Photo: Phil Dawson)

“On another day, we’d have got the first goal against Civil, stuck to our game-plan and it would have been one of our easier afternoons.

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“They hardly had a touch of the ball at times, but at the end of the day, there’s more than one way to play.

“We might think that because we keep the ball well and look really good at times that that’s the way to do it, but other teams sit in and put ten or 11 men behind the ball and make it frustrating for us and that’s something we’ve perhaps got to deal with a little bit better.”

Gala’s goal-scorer at the weekend was Jamie Semple on 66 minutes after Euan Valentine had put their visitors in front on 18 and Liam McQuaid had doubled their lead on 58.

Rovers enjoyed mixed fortunes against Tranent last season, drawing 0-0 away last August and losing 2-0 at home in February.

Related topics:Gala Fairydean RoversDanny GalbraithGalashielsEast Lothian