William Hill Scottish Cup 1st.Round

GRETNA FC (2008)      2 (1)

C.Graham, D.Rea.

Gala F.R.

Devlin

Gala got the game underway on a sunny afternoon at Raydale Park in this first round tie of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

The visitors had the first shot of the game but it flew across Jamie Greenall’s six yard box without troubling the home keeper.

At the other end Iain Anderson was denied the opening goal when John Dodds saved at point blank on the edge of the six yard box.

The danger was cleared and Greenall had to look sharp to turn a Stuart Noble drive behind for a corner. From the corner kick Noble found himself free to shoot, Greenall’s made the initial save but the ball broke loose to Daryl Devlin right in front of the goal to hammer the ball past the despairing efforts of the Gretna keeper and into the net, 0-1.

The home side didn’t panic and from a corner on the right Dean Rea wasted a chance from twelve yards when his volley flew over the bar. Anderson ran in behind the Gala defence but his cross was blocked by Andrew Cosgrove and goalkeeper Dodds, again the danger was cleared by Dodds as he gathered the corner kick.

Gretna got back on level terms when home captain Adam Main eluded several challenges to put a pass to Connor Graham on the edge of the box. The youngster cooly stroked the ball past Dodds into the net to send the home support into raptures, 1-1.

Just after the restart an incident involving Gretna’s Graham and Gala’s Devlin resulted in a caution for the former and a red card for the latter.

The visitors made changes to their set-up hoping to get to the interval without conceding again as Gretna were trying for their second. Brandon Longcake darted in from the left wing and screwed his shot just wide of Dodds’ right hand post. In the final minute of the first half shots from Anderson and Longcake were blocked with Gala defending resolutely to the whistle. H/T 1-1.

The second half saw Gala packing their defence and relying on the counter attack and Gretna struggled to break through a solid Gala midfield and even when they got past they encountered a strong back four plus an excellent keeper in Dodds.

Main’s attempt at goal was high and wide of the target, a shot out of frustration as the home side couldn’t find a way to goal other than long range efforts.

A poor challenge by Rea gave Gala a free kick twenty five yards out. Jamie Gibson’s shot rebounded off Greenall’s right hand post with the ball travelling agonisingly along the the goal to be cleared by Steven Rudd.

Gretna manager Stuart Rome made his first substitution with Rudd being replaced by long time absentee David Renyard.

Darren Addison went close in the 75th.minute but again the effort was wide of goal, the Slattery had his shot blocked by Dodds as most the action was in and around the Gala penalty area.

Gretna were awarded a free kick just in the Gala half and Alan Inglis swung in a cross for Rea to rise and head the ball into the net beyond the outstretched arms of Dodds and into the bottom corner, 2-1.

A second change by Rome, Joe Slattery was replaced by Lewis Todd, as the home side looked to strengthen their hold on the match.

Gala threw everything into the last fifteen minutes of the game to try and take the tie to a replay, leaving themselves vulnerable in defence. In the 85th.minute Renyard was unlucky to see his shot blocked after he made his run into the area and unleashed a powerful shot. With time running out for Gala they had one clear chance to grab an equaliser but for Jamie Greenall’s spectacular one handed save with the home support waiting for the ball to nestle into the bottom corner of the net. The roar that went up from the save was deafening and Greenall deserved the plaudits.

As the game enter added on time Rome made his last substitution with Danny Graham replacing the hard working Anderson. F/T 2-1.

GRETNA FC (2008)

J.Greenall, S.Rudd, G.Thorburn, A.Inglis, D.Rea, D.Addison, B.Longcake, A.Main, I.Anderson, J.Slattery, C.Graham.

Subs : R.Halliday, L.Todd, M.Worrall, D.Wallace, J.Barker, D.Renyard, D.Graham.

Gala Fairydean Rovers

J.Dodds, G.Robinson, C.McBride, P.Hossack, A.Cosgrove, D.Devlin, K.Leough, D.Bonnar, S.Noble, D.McColm, J.Gibson.

Subs : S.King, D.Thomson, R.Noble, B.J.Millar, A.Langford, C.Jardine, C.Pinnons.