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.
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