Gretna FC (2008) 2 Threave Rovers 3

S.LF.L.

GRETNA FC (2008)    2 (1)

Anderson, Milligan

Threave Rovers          3 (2)

Paterson, Parker, Milligan

Early pressure by the home side was aided in the first half by a very strong wind on their backs.

First corner for Gretna, David Renyard’s curling cross was turned behind by Rovers keeper Vinnie Parker for a second corner kick. This time the ball goes straight out of play for a goal kick.

A clumsy tackle by Scott Wilby on Renyard at the edge of the penalty area gives the “hoops” an opportunity to have a shot at goal. The Gretna number seven takes the free kick but his strike goes harmlessly behind.

The home side again go close to opening the scoring when Iain Anderson gets behind Rovers Andrew Forsyth on the right, Anderson’s cross finds Scott Milligan in the box but he is unable to keep his header on target and the chance is lost.

Rovers win themselves a corner when slack play between Inglis and Greenalls gifts the visitors a corner on the left. Gretna fail to clear the danger and Threave win another two corners as they sense a chance of a goal. The goal duly arrives after Greenalls fails to collect the cross and Rovers’ Liam Patterson puts his side ahead in the 18th.minute, 0-1.

Gretna’s response was immediate straight from the kick off the scores were level, Iain Anderson the scorer, 1-1.

Both sides were finding it difficult to control the ball in the windy conditions as play raged from end to end. Greenalls did well to save a Dean Fyfe shot down at his right hand post, at the other end Renyard’s cross field ball to Anderson put him clear down the right where his cross was blasted over by Milligan. The home side were made to pay for their missed chances when Rovers scored their second goal, Russell Parker heading home from a corner in the 30th.minute, 1-2.

Gretna’s troubles increase when Renyard retaliated after a tackle and was given a red card. This put the home side at a great disadvantage for the remainder of the game. Just before the interval

Inglis nearly got Gretna back on level terms but Rovers Patterson headed off the line with Parker out of position. H/T 1-2.

The second half began with Gretna’s Anderson breaking into the Rovers penalty box and sent crashing to the ground but the referee waved away the player’s claims. The game was all square after Milligan had ran onto an Anderson pass and smashed the ball past the despairing dive of Parker and into the net in the 50th.minute, 2-2.

Home manager Stuart Rome made his first substitution with Dean Rea replacing Greig Thorburn and Mark Worrall for Connor Graham. In the 70th.minute Worrall almost put the home side in front after Inglis and Longcake combined to put him through on goal but his shot was wide of the target.

It turned out to be Longcake’s last contribution as he was replaced by Jordan Barker as Rome threw caution to the wind in the search of a winner. Rovers believed they could get another goal and Fyfe won a corner with Greenalls struggling to cope with the inswinging corner Ryan McGuffie headed the ball off the line.

With only three minutes of the game remaining the Gretna support momentarily thought Anderson had won the match but a late flag for offside was to deny the Gretna forward his goal.

Straight from the free kick Rovers took advantage of the wind and a long ball found Shaun Milligan in space and he beat Gretna keeper to the ball to lob it into the empty net to give Rovers the lead again for the third time in the match, 2-3.

The drama continued into added on time when Rovers’ Milligan was brought down in the penalty box by Steven Rudd for a penalty kick. Up stepped Rovers Wilby and his strike was saved by Greenalls down at the right hand post. Match ended  immediately after the save, F/T 2-3.

GRETNA FC (2008) :

J.Greenall, S.Rudd, G.Thorburn, R.McGuffie, A.Inglis, D.Addison, D.Renyard, C.Graham, I.Anderson, S.Milligan, B.Longcake. Subs : D.Rea, J.Blake, D.Graham, N.Cassidy, M.Worrall, J.Barker, G.Wright.