Haddington Athletic vs Gala Fairydean Rovers

Dougall's penalty in the 58th minute effectively settled the contest. Haddington had shown brief signs of growing into the game after the restart, and the second goal restored Gala's buffer just as the home side looked to build momentum. From that point, Gala controlled the tempo without needing to chase further goals.

Daniel Strickland — opened the scoring with a sharp finish in the 21st minute and looked lively throughout. His movement caused problems for the Haddington backline.

Ethan Dougall — kept his composure from 12 yards to convert the penalty and seal the result. Also contributed to Gala's disciplined shape out of possession.

Gala Fairydean defence — kept a clean sheet in their first competitive minutes of the new season. The backline, protected by a compact midfield, limited Haddington to few clear sights of goal.

Official match statistics were not published, but the flow of play told the story: Gala dominated possession and territory in the first half, scoring once, and managed the second half professionally after the second goal. Haddington's best spell came in the 10-minute window after half-time before the penalty, but they could not turn pressure into clear chances. The 2-0 scoreline reflected a game where the gap in division was evident but not exaggerated.

Gala Fairydean Rovers begin their pre-season programme with a clean sheet and a win. They face Vale of Leithen on 7 July and Pollok on 11 July before hosting Hibernian U21 on 18 July as they build towards the 2026/27 Lowland League campaign.

Haddington Athletic, who finished 8th in the East of Scotland Premier Division in 2025/26, continue their own pre-season preparations. The result showed they could compete physically against a side from a higher tier but will need more attacking sharpness in their remaining friendlies.

A professional, low-drama start to pre-season for Gala Fairydean. The Lowland League side showed their class advantage without needing top gear, while Haddington will take the workout as useful preparation for the season ahead.