Gretna 0 Gala Fairydean Rovers 2

IT was Gala Fairydean Rovers that started this match the better with Dean McColm, David Bonnar and Taylor Hope bossing the midfield.

It quickly became apparent that the Gretna side were having an off day.

Their side had several young players and the more senior players, who were mainly in defence, were not as impregnable as they have been in the past.

If you add to this mix a referee who certainly had a bad day at the office and two assistants who only raised their flags for offsides and throw-ins it makes life doubly difficult.

After only ten minutes, Addison of Gretna clearly fouled McColm in midfield and then shoved him in the chest while he was still on the ground and then again when McColm regained his feet.

The referee only produced a yellow card.

To compound matters a couple of minutes later Stuart Noble was through on goal and his shot was clearly saved with the hand by goalkeeper Parker who was yards outside of his area - and the referee was the only person at Raydale Park who didn’t see what happened.

Just a minute later Billy Miller attempted to chip over Parker but his effort just cleared the cross bar.

Gala finally broke the deadlock midway through the half when a cleared free kick was collected by Ryan Clapperton to the right of the area and he slotted a pass into the six yard box where both Noble and Ross Aitchison were unmarked and it was Aitchison who turned with the ball and slotted it beyond the unguarded Parker.

Gala continued to press for the remainder of the half but they did not capitalise on their superiority.

Gretna were not devoid of chances during the first half but they were either extremely wayward with their finishing or the Gala defence cleared any danger.

Goalkeeper Wilson was barely troubled during the first period.

Clapperton, who had received a knock during the first half, was replaced at the interval by Ross Lamb.

Gretna certainly pressed more during the second period due to the extra man in the middle, but they were helped by Gala failing to hold onto the ball and control play as well as they had done during the first half.

Gretna’s finishing continued to be woeful and Noble and Jamie Gibson were invariably caught offside.

Good work in the Gretna box by Taylor Hope gave McColm the chance to chip the Gretna keeper but his effort was fractionally too high and clipped the cross bar.

Then Aitchison, who had been so solid in defence, misjudged a clearing header that allowed Anderson a chance to cross from the left and found Liddell unmarked close to the goal, however Wilson swooped to deflect his shot for a corner.

As the match entered the final ten minutes a pass found Noble, who for once was not offside, and he bore down on goal using his strength to hold off Rea, before beating Parker with a low shot from just inside the area.

In the final minutes Gretna’s Smith shot just over the Gala bar and Ross Lamb was brought down in the Gretna box for what looked like a clear penalty but once again referee, Mr Kelly, saw nothing amiss and waved play on. Just as well that on the day Gala scored two goals entirely of their own efforts.

Gala Fairydean Rovers: Wilson, Miller, Triallist, Aitchison, Galbraith, Hope, McColm, Bonnar, Noble (Rutherford, 84), Gibson, Clapperton (Lamb, 45). Unused subs: Triallist, Guiney, Chalmers.