Edinburgh City 0 Gretna FC (2008) 0

Edinburgh City                               0 (0)

Gretna FC (2008)                           0 (0)

Lowland League

Meadowbank Stadium

28^th March 2015

When Edinburgh City visited Raydale in September as league leaders, we were left scratching our heads wondering how on Earth Gretna managed to lose the match.  Gretna were that dominant in the first half they should have been four or five goals ahead at half time.  Instead they lost the match 2-0.  We all thought that City were not good enough to stay at the top of the league. They proved all the doubters wrong by being the most consistent team in the league and Gretna visited Meadowbank to participate in the Edinburgh City championship party.  City were indeed in party mood as they were due to be presented with their championship trophy after the match. Gretna were out to play the role of party poopers but everyone’s day was spoiled by the strong winds blowing around the big athletics venue.

The match turned out to be the proverbial game of two halves.  The first half was almost exclusively played in the City half of the park while the second half took place in the visitors’ side of the field.

Gretna formed a guard of honour for the new Lowland League champions as they welcomed City to the field. Right from the kick-off the wind showed that it was going to be a major factor in the day’s proceedings.  In the first attack of the day Longcake slipped through a pass to the onrushing Anderson but the wind got a hold of the ball and carried it over the bye line.  This was to set the pattern of the day’s events as both teams struggled to master the blustery conditions.

With the strong wind at their backs, chance after chance fell for Gretna forwards as they put the City defence under sustained pressure.  However Stobie in the City goal was rarely troubled as most of the Gretna shots on goal missed the target.  It took half on hour of play before City had their first shot on goal as they began to come to terms with the conditions. The first half ended with City pressing on the Gretna goal but to no avail, the half ended goalless.

The second half began much the same way as the first, however this time it was the team from the capital  that were on top with Gretna having to defend deep in their own territory.  Just as City did in the first half Gretna did create chances with Anderson and Milligan working tirelessly against the wind.  However it was Murray in the Gretna goal who made sure that that a share of the points went back down south.  He produced a series of saves which frustrated the City attack.

However it was deep into injury time that the best chance of the day fell to Gretna only to be frustrated by an early whistle by the referee.  An inch perfect cross from Anderson on the edge of the City box found Milligan free at the back post with the goal at his mercy, however as Anderson crossed the ball he was fouled, the referee failed to see the advantage and blew for a free kick for Gretna.

Overall a draw was a fair result with the wind being the winner on the day.

Edinburgh City: Stobie, Caddow, Donaldson, Harrison, Paterson, McKee, McFarland, Gair, Allum, Dunn, McConnell.

Subs: Deniran, Guthrie, Osborne, Torrance, McDonald, Wilson, Mackintosh.

Gretna:  Murray, D Graham, Thorburn, Wood, Inglis, Addison, Longcake, Main, Anderson, Milligan, C Graham.

Subs: Cassidy, MacAnespe, Wallace, Halliday, Cowper, White.

Gretna FC (2008) 0 Whitehill Welfare 4

S.L.F.L.

Raydale Park

17.03.15

Gretna FC   0 (0)

Whitehill W. 4 (1)

Manson,Somerville(3).

In a game the home side dominated for forty minutes in the first half the final score told a different story.

Gretna forwards again failed to find the back of the net despite having numerous chances. It was a combination of good goalkeeping, experienced defending and in some cases poor finishing.

The home side had a handful of claims for penalties but the referee had other views on the incidents.

Welfare winger Aaron Somerville nearly opened the scoring in the 40th.minute when he found space behind Thorburn but his shot was just the wrong side of the post with the Gretna keeper beaten.

The lesson was not learned and in the 43rd.minute Somerville fired into the net from just inside the Gretna penalty box, 0-1.

Just before the interval Anderson appeared to be pulled down inside the box, unfortunately for the home side their penalty appeals were denied by the referee. H/T 0-1.

Welfare got off to a flyer at the start of the second half when Somerville was adjudged to be onside after chasing a hopeful lob upfield despite the appeals of the Gretna defenders. Somerville managed to find the net at the second attempt despite the efforts of the home keeper, 0-2.

Gretna tried to get back into the game but the young home forwards were up against more physical and experienced players of Welfare.

Somerville added his second when the Gretna defenders couldn't clear the ball in the box, 0-3.

The home side tried to get back into the game but left themselves open at the back and Somerville helped himself to his hat-trick and Welfares fourth in the 75th minute.

All in all another disappointing performance from the black and whites with only three league games left, second place looks under threat in the league table Somehow manager Stuart Rome has to try and get his troops back on winning ways.

Gretna FC :

Trialist, D.Wood, G.Thorburn, R.McLean, A.Inglis, D.Addison, B.Longcake, A.Main, I.Anderson, S.Milligan, C.Graham. Subs : D.Wallace, R.Halliday, D.Graham, N.Cassidy, G,Cowper, M.McAnespie.

Welfare :

B.Young, A.Martin, G.Thom, D.O'Donnell, R.McKenzie, D.McGlashen, S.Manson, A.Kidd, W.McIntosh, A.Somerville, J.Flynn. Subs : J.Jardine, D.McKinley, A.Swinney.

Match Postponed

Saturdays away game to Vale of Leithen has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Gretna FC (2008) 2 Selkirk FC 2

S.L.F.L.

07.03.2015

Gretna FC. 2 (1)

C.Graham, B.Longcake

Selkirk FC  2 (1)

O.See, G.O'Connor.

Gretna began the match with a very strong wind on their backs and Selkirk's keeper Jamie Newman produced a series of miraculous saves as he denied Anderson, Graham, Milligan and Longcake.

Selkirk's Winger Paul Tansey earned his side a corner after he got round behind the home defence.

Connor Graham opened the scoring for the hoops when he crashed the ball into the net from inside the box in the 10th.minute,1-0.

Anderson should have added to the home sides score when he rounded the Selkirk keeper but his shot was cleared by Declan Laing.

Minutes later Brandon Longcake had a similar chance but after rounding the keeper his shot rebounded off the goalpost.

Play in the middle of the park was a scrappy affair as both sides struggled in the windy conditions. Gretna keeper Craig Murray launched a long ball upfield and found Anderson who had just enough time to lob the advancing Newman only for the ball to land the wrong side of the post.

Longcake again had a chance to add to the score but his shot was wide of the target. Selkirk were starting to create one or two chances of their own with  striker Ouzy See and Dean Cummings linking up with Paul Tansey.

Disaster for the home side when See beat Danny Wood on the edge of the area turning to force the ball under Craig Murray in the Gretna goal, 1-1.

In the 35th.minute Gretna were awarded a penalty after Gary O'Connor brought down Anderson. The resultant penalty kick was taken by Anderson who was denied by Newham's spectacular acrobatic save.

More despair was to follow for the Gretna number nine when he ran onto a Longcake pass only to screw his shot wide of the target.

The home sides run of bad luck continued when Scott Milligan got in behind the Selkirk rearguard and after rounding Newham,his shot was cleared off the line by Laing.

Just before the interval Connor Graham was only inches away from adding a second but his curling shot was carried wide of goal by the wind. H/T 1-1.

The second half began with Selkirk going close when Cummings ran into the Gretna penalty box and fired the ball across the six yard box but fortunately for Murray nobody was on hand to get a touch from the visitors.

Both sides had opportunities to add to their score but conditions were difficult to play fluent football.

In the 55th.minute Longcake broke free of his markers but fired wide of the goal.

Selkirk took the lead in the 65th.minute after Gary O'Connor was on hand to fire the ball into the net from twelve yards through a flat footed home defence, 1-2.

The home side had several chances to get back on level terms but just could not find the back of the net with Newham performing heroics between the posts. It took something special to eventually beat the Selkirk keeper and it came in the 69th.minute. Longcake fired an outrageously long range effort from out on the wide right touch line, some 55yards from goal and against the strong wind the ball rocketed into the far corner of the net past the bewildered Newham, 2-2.

As the game entered the final minutes Rome substituted Connor Graham and Robson Halliday with Nick Cassidy and Robert McLean.

Anderson was unlucky yet again this time his bullet header hit the Selkirk crossbar with Newham beaten, the ball fell to Longcake whose point blank shot was blocked by Newham with rebound going to Milligan whose shot was cleared off the line by Laing. The game ended 2-2.

Gretna :

C.Murray, R.Halliday, G.Thorburn, D.Wood, A.Inglis, D.Addison, B.Longcake , A.Main, I.Anderson,S.Milligan, C.Graham. Subs : N.Cassidy, R.McLean, G.Cowper, D.Graham.

Selkirk:

J.Newman, K.Scott, CHandren, D.Laing, C.Scott, G.O'Connor, D.Cummings, D.Johnston, O.See, J.McInally, P.Tansey. Subs : D.Battle, R.Ward, Trialist, S.Dowie.