| August |
|
18th |
Kelso 7's (A) |
|
| |
Lost to Kelso in semi final. |
|
21st (BL) |
Kelso (H) |
Won 16 - 8 |
| |
The Border League has been reshaped this season, with only single fixtures between the clubs. Play-offs will be introduced to settle the outcome of the competition, and Berwick have been welcomed in as the ninth club.
Gala’s opening match saw the Maroons win comfortably enough in the end, with Scott Paterson kicking two penalty goals, and tries coming from Chris Dalgleish and new boy Iain Berthinussen, who wore the Gala jersey for the first time as a replacement. |
|
25th |
Hawick Millenium Cup (A) |
|
| |
Played 3 Won 2 Lost 1 |
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26th |
Selkirk 7's (A) |
|
| |
Lost to Selkirk in second round. |
| |
| September |
|
1st |
Heriots (H) |
Lost 13 - 58 |
| |
Gala could take little comfort from this poor start. Heriot’s were superior in most departments, and Gala looked totally out of shape. Neither fitness nor commitment were up to the standard of last year, and it was only in the second half that Gala began to create chances, few of which were taken.
One encouraging feature was the first appearance of Andy McLean, last year a Gala Wanderer, and who has played for the Scottish Under 18 side against England. He kicked two penalties and converted a try by David Gray. |
|
8th |
Aberdeen GSFP (A) |
Lost 17 - 12 |
| |
A game that could have gone the Maroons’ way slipped past them in Aberdeen. The first appearance of Malcolm Horsburgh, who has joined Gala from Earlston, was encouraging, and the side’s overall play showed a welcome return to fitness and endeavour.
Andy McLean was again on song with his kicking and landed four penalties, but it was Gala’s failure to convert pressure into tries that cost them the game to the Division I newcomers. |
|
15th |
Kirkaldy (A) |
Drew 20 - 20 |
| |
The improvement in Gala’s play should have been good enough to bring them their first win in Division I, but they were denied by a home side which produced two late tries when Gala were shorthanded. Overall Gala showed more imagination and with a little more ball for the impressive backs they would have been out of sight long before the end.
Gala’s tries came from Scott Paterson, Alan Johnston and David Gray, with Paterson adding a penalty goal and a conversion. |
|
21st |
Hawick (H) |
Drew 17 - 17 |
| |
This Friday night game which was televised for later viewing turned out to be one of the best Old Firm games of recent years. Gala played well enough to win, scoring three tries to two, and overall the Maroons were the sharper side, but a draw pleased any neutrals in the good crowd and showed that the club game in the Borders is in fine shape.
Gala started each half with an early try, and all three of their touchdowns were attractive scores. Chris Dalgleish, Calum Macrae and Gavin Dalgleish scored tries, with the last named converting his own score. |
|
29th |
Stirling County (A) |
Won 19 - 20 |
| |
It was late on before Gala got the clinching score for their first win in the Premiership, and it was the big Samoan Jason Fale who drove over for a try converted by Gavin Dalgleish. It was his first match for Gala and he looked like being an impressive addition to the squad.
Gala’s improving form continued throughout the match, and both Scott Paterson, with a try and a conversion, and Gavin Dalgleish, with two penalties to add to his late conversion, were in top form. |
| |
| October |
|
6th |
Boroughmuir (A) |
Lost 20 - 22 |
| |
A game that should never have got away from Gala was lost through some disappointing goal kicking. Four penalties and an easy conversion were missed, but the team was upset by mid-week injuries. It was only the late arrival of Gavin Dalgleish that brought Gala some enterprise and earned them a bonus point.
Gala’s strong tackling was impressive, and they gave the Cup holders a good run in most departments. Tries came from Kane Allen, Neil Adams and Gavin Dalgleish, with the last named kicking a conversion and Scott Paterson a penalty. |
|
13th |
Melrose (A) |
Won 21 - 34 |
| |
Gala’s biggest score over Melrose since 1983-4 reflected their overall superiority. The forwards were in robust mood and the team’s tackling was strong and committed. Gala’s three tries were all the result of incisive running, and with Gavin Dalgleish kicking well the Maroons impressed the good crowd.
Dalgleish kicked five penalties and converted two of Gala’s tries from David Gray (two) and Calum Macrae. |
|
20th |
Glasgow Hawks (H) |
Lost 18 - 24 |
| |
After recovering from a poor start in which fourteen points were conceded in the first twenty minutes, Gala edged ahead at 18-17 with tries by Gavin Dalgleish and Calum Macrae, a penalty goal and conversion also from Dalgleish, and a long penalty by Scott Paterson. But a late try from the Hawks foiled Gala’s attempts to record their first home win of the season in the Division 1 BT Premiership.
Heavy rain upset much of the handling and Gala missed out on several good chances. The forwards had lost some of their momentum from the previous week and a single bonus point was about right for the team’s efforts. |
|
27th |
Currie (A) |
Lost 31 - 10 |
| |
The Gala forwards were well under strength and their lack of physique eventually told against a powerful home pack. It was the Gala backs, playing well below form, who contributed to the defeat with a shapeless performance marred by indecision and lack of penetration.
Gala took an early lead with a Gavin Dalgleish penalty, and came back to level at 10-10 through a David Gray try converted by Dalgleish, but Currie were able to draw on some powerful reserve strength and began to play attractive rugby which produced five tries. Gala missed three influential forwards in Tony Walker, Jason Fale and Alan Johnston, ending up with their second heaviest defeat of the season. |
| |
| November |
|
11th |
Heriots (A) |
Lost 31 - 23 |
| |
This was another game that should never have got away from Gala. The Maroons had a convincing 20 - 6 lead at the interval, with three good tries from Chris Dalgleish, Calum Macrae and Scott Paterson, the last of them ending a run from deep inside his own half. Gavin Dalgleish kicked a penalty and a conversion and added another penalty in the disappointing second half.
But Gala’s indecision in the closing stages let Heriot’s score three tries in the last twelve minutes to deprive Gala of even a bonus point. Gala showed lots of style early on and there was big disappointment that their first half performance was not enough to end a run of Goldenacre defeats now going back for 19 years. |
17th |
Lismore (A) 3rd Round BT Cup |
Won 7 - 33 |
| |
The delayed Cup game was played before a couple of hundred spectators on a good sized and well looked after public park ground.
Gala were never in trouble, and always did enough to keep the score moving along. But it was not a vintage performance, and Lismore, who play seven leagues below Gala, stuck in well.
Gala were early in the lead with a try by Ian Wilson and before the break Kane Allen added a second. Gavin Dalgleish put over two penalties and Kane Allen a try before the break, Dalgleish converting. Later on Allen scored two more tries and replacement Gary Isaac one, all of them far out, none being converted. |
|
23rd |
Biggar (H) 4th Round BT Cup |
Won 39 - 8 |
| |
Gala’s performance was greatly improved in this fourth round match of the Cup, and they won comfortably against a Division 3 side for whom Tony Walker used to play. Conditions were pretty miserable, but once Gala settled they never looked in any difficulty and scored four tries.
Gavin Dalgleish had an outstanding night, kicking five penalties, scoring a try and adding two conversions for a personal tally of 24 points. A Scott Paterson try and a penalty try added to Gala’s total and then Kane Allen, in his last appearance for the club, came on early in the second half as a replacement and scored at the corner after a neat pick-up. |
| |
| December |
|
1st |
Aberdeen GSFP (H) |
Lost 9 - 13 |
| |
Despite controlling the ball supply Gala served up a disappointing display as they sought their first home win in the Premiership. A series of mishandling errors and five missed penalty goal attempts contributed to their second defeat of the season at the hands of a not particularly inspired Aberdeen side.
Gavin Dalgleish added three penalty goals to his season’s tally, but the back division as a whole played well below form. with only Richie Scott and Scott Paterson hitting anything like their full potential. The game was notable for the return to the side of Mark Ballantyne, after 14 months absence through injury. |
|
8th |
East Kilbride (H) 5th Round BT Cup |
5th Round Won 21 - 8 |
| |
Gala moved forward to the Quarter Finals with a deserved win over a plucky but not inspired Division 2 side. The victory did something for Gala’s confidence, and Scott Paterson’s two tries, which came from long miss passes in the centre, were the high points of the game.
Returning to the side after his brief excursion to Melrose was scrum half Jackson Berry, who kicked a conversion and three penalties, one of them a massive effort from just inside the East Kilbride half. Captain David Gray had an impressive game at centre, and Gala were superior overall, without ever running riot. |
|
15th |
Kirkaldy (H) |
Won 27 - 9 |
| |
 Gala first’s win at home in the Premiership was thoroughly deserved, with three tries and some accurate goalkicking showing up the difference between the two sides who are holding up the Division 1 table.
Gala’s defence was outstanding, and the return of Mark Ballantyne, who scored a try in only his second game in 14 months, was significant. He, Tony Walker and Jason Fale were the Gala forwards who dominated the game, and Gala enjoyed the rare sight of both wingers, Calum Macrae and P.J. Solomon, also getting tries. Jackson Berry kicked three conversions and two penalties. |
| |
| January 2002 |
|
12th |
Hawick (A) |
Lost 42 - 13 |
| |
Gala ran into a Hawick side back to its best form, and conceded five tries while scoring only one themselves. The Gala forwards struggled all afternoon, especially in the scrums, and the backs were well marked by a strong home defence. It was a disappointing result from a side anxious to pick up some points in their battle against relegation.
Jackson Berry kicked two penalty goals for Gala, one of them a massive effort from 45 metres, and converted the try, scored in the last minute by full back Scott Paterson under the Hawick posts. |
|
19th |
Stirling County (H) |
Won 14 - 8 |
| |
The Gala forwards gave the side a great start early on, and put in one of their best showings of the season, winning several turnovers, and taking the honours up front. Towards the end the side tired a bit, but the hard work had been done, and Gala deserved their second win of the season over the Stirling side.
A Gavin Dalgleish try, goaled by Jackson Berry, was the reward for some first half pressure against a strong wind, but Gala could manage only one more try in the second period, Gary Isaac powering over near the posts. Berry again converted but missed a couple of penalties which would have denied Stirling their solitary bonus point. |
|
26th |
Boroughmuir (A) |
Lost 46 - 9 |
| |
Gala were never in the hunt at Meggetland where Boroughmuir looked the part of Division I leaders. They ran in eight tries, using pacy backs and an imaginative back row. Gala never gave up trying, and the forwards stuck in well, but the backs made a poor job of handling the ball in the heavy rain.
Jackson Berry had a good afternoon and again could be relied upon for some points. He put over three penalty goals and even attempted one from his own half of the field. |
| |
| February |
|
1st |
Jed-forest (A) (BL) |
Posponed |
|
9th |
Cup ¼ Final Hawick (A) BT Cup |
Lost 26 - 20 |
| |
A big finish by Gala nearly pulled off a win after all had looked lost at half time. Two tries in the closing minutes did a lot for Gala’s reputation, but it was too late to complete what would have been a memorable fightback. The game provided the crowd with a great forward battle and there were some good tries, even on a heavy and boggy Mansfield pitch.
Jackson Berry had another good day with the boot, kicking two penalties and two conversions, one of them late on from the touchline after Calum MacRae had dived in at the corner. Berry himself had the other Gala try. |
|
15th |
Selkirk (H) (BL) |
Lost 22 - 30 |
| |
Defeat at the hands of Selkirk after 22 consecutive wins ended a game in which Gala delivered a disappointing first half performance. Handling was a bit less than perfect, and too many penalties were given away. The youngsters in the Gala side learned a lot from the game, but it took the return of old hands in Peter Cockburn and Gareth Brown to sharpen up the forwards.
Jackson Berry was out of sorts early on but ended up with four penalty goals, including three in five minutes. Tries were scored by Keith Millar and Peter Cockburn, and Gala put in a strong finish when they were trailing by only one point. But Selkirk broke out to clinch the game which ended Gala’s unbeaten run in the Border League. |
|
23rd |
Melrose (H) |
Won 22 - 13 |
| |
 A vigorous display by the Gala forwards set the tone for this vital win. The game was played in driving sleet and snow showers which upset some of the handling, and there was little in the way of organised back moves. But both packs kept going well and there was a wholehearted commitment. Jason Fale had an impressive game at the lineout.
Gavin Dalgleish scored Gala’s only try, getting his boot to a loose ball and winning the chase to the line. But the man of the match was Jackson Berry, who kicked five good penalties and converted Dalgleish’s try. Gala were trailing 6-10 at the break but stepped up their game in the second period. |
| |
| March |
|
9th |
Glasgow Hawks (A) |
Lost 27 - 16 |
| |
A heavy Anniesland pitch was not the ideal footing for Gala to cut loose, and much of the game got bogged down in a forward struggle. The Maroons forwards picked up their game in the second half and controlled possession for long periods. But the backs could never find a cutting edge, and faced some strong Hawks tackling.
Gala scored first through Tony Walker, his opening try of the season, and in the second period replacement Andy Miller scored his first try for Gala after Jason Fale took a quick penalty. Jackson Berry kicked two penalties but missed three long shots at goal in the first period. |
|
16th |
Currie (H) |
Won 17 - 15 |
| |
 The result we needed was duly obtained, but with Stirling County taking the points from their Melrose game we were no better off. So relegation to Division 2 is looming, unless there is a change of the league structure. The game saw Gala make a poor start, and by the half time whistle we were trailing by four penalties to a try by Calum Macrae.
A stronger second half saw two more tries from Chris Dalgleish and Scott Paterson, with Jackson Berry kicking a great conversion from the touchline. It was enough for a win but the news from elsewhere ended the celebrations. |
30th |
Peebles (A) (BL) |
Lost 30 - 18 |
| |
Gala recovered from a slow start and led at the interval in a game that contained too many errors from both sides. Tackling and handling was shaky, and despite the good conditions there was an end of the season flavour about the match.
Gareth Brown put in an impresive non-stop performance for Gala. When Peebles finished strongly they picked up two tries in the last ten minutes and deserved the Border League points. Gala’s scores came from two tries by Tony Walker, a conversion and two good penalties by Jackson Berry. |
| |
| April |
|
7th |
Berwick Sevens |
|
| |
Beaten in Final by Melrose |
|
13th |
Melrose Sevens |
|
| |
Beaten in First Round by Peebles |
|
21st |
Peebles Sevens |
|
| |
Beaten in Semi Final by Aberdeen G.S.F.P. |
|
23rd |
Berwick (BL) (H) |
Won 27 - 0 |
| |
It took until the last game of the season for Gala to record their first shut-out in 26 games, but the result was never in doubt. Gala played a young side, with four of them making their first appearance for the club, and they blended well to record their third Border League win.
Tries were scored by Tony Walker, Tim MisKelly, Gareth Brown, Richard Bramhall and Gary Isaac, with Guy Frater putting over a conversion. |
|
27th |
Hawick Sevens |
|
| |
Beaten in First Round by Jed-forest. |
| |
| May |
|
4th |
Langholm Sevens |
|
| |
Beaten in Second Round by Watsonians |
| 5th |
Earlston Sevens |
|
| |
Beaten in First Round by West of Scotland |
|
11th |
Jed-forest Sevens |
|
| |
Lost to Jed-forest in Second Round |
|
18th |
Gala Sevens |
|
| |
Lost to Royal Scots in final |
|
