Gretna 3

Gala Fairydean Rovers 3

Tommy Cass

at Raydale Park

TWO controversial late goals denied Gala Fairydean Rovers another Lowland League victory on the road at Gretna's Raydale Park.

A Zander Murray hat-trick put the visitors in a commanding 3-1 lead and on course for the three points.

But in a stormy finish Gretna striker Kevin Connolly bagged a double to earn a share of the points.

Gretna had threatened to blow Gala away at the start and could easily have been three goals up in the first 10 minutes.

The home side's biggest sinner was striker Daniel Smales who struck the bar from six yards out when it seemed easier to score.

Gala also had keeper Fraser Morton to thank for a series of fine saves.

Against the run of play, Gala opened the scoring in the 39th minute when Murray broke clear down the left and drilled a powerful shot into the bottom corner.

He could have doubled his tally moments later when he rounded the keeper but from an acute angle, his lob cleared the bar.

Gala had managed to successfully defend a flurry of Gretna corners but in first half injury time with centre half Ben Herdman off the park receiving treatment for a head knock, Smales headed home from a Chris Humphreys corner.

Murray restored Gala's lead a minute after the re-start and then completed a fine hat-trick shortly before the hour mark when he again outpaced the home defence and sent a lob into the far corner of the net.

It could easily have been 4-1 but Scott-Taylor McKenzie's dipping 30-yard shot struck the underside of the cross bar.

The game looked to be over as a contest but Gretna kept pushing and pulled a goal back with two minutes remaining.

Referee Ian Hart ordered an uncontested drop ball after stopping play for treatment to injured Gala skipper Danny Galbraith.

The ball was fired into the Gala box and Connolly was first to react to reduce the deficit.

Gretna were reduced to 10 men for a cynical foul and a second booking as Murray threatened to break clear again.

Three minutes into stoppage time Gretna got back on level terms.

Referee Hart - who had been baffling the crowd with a series of strange decisions - awarded Gretna a corner when everyone in the ground expected a bye-kick to be awarded as the ball had come off Gretna sub Japhet Mata.

Another dangerous Humphreys corner caused confusion in the Gala defence and Connolly was first to react to fire home the equaliser.