Gretna FC 2008 Press Release

Gretna’s home defeat to table toppers, Edinburgh City, last Saturday was a frustrating one as they spurned chances to settle the game in the first half. Wallace, Longcake, Graham, Anderson and Worrall all hit shots that on another day would have put the game beyond the Edinburgh outfit. The second half swung City’s way following a hotly disputed penalty.

Talking to reporters after the match, Gretna’s manager, Stuart Rome, rued the missed chances, “we should be putting these chances away but we’ll work on it and on another day we could be scoring four or five. We let the penalty throw us and another thing we have to learn is to accept these setbacks, put them behind us and concentrate on our game plan.”

Gretna’s opportunity to put Stuart’s words into effect come quickly this Saturday when they travel to Prestonpans to meet an out of form Preston Athletic who are sitting at the bottom of the table after dispensing with the services of their manager, ex-Gretna favourite David Bingham.

Gretna will be without Joe Slattery who suffered a broken wrist in the Gala cup tie, and Lewis Todd who suffered a leg injury. Both are anxious to return to fitness for next week’s cup tie against Queens Park at Raydale. Joe said, “I didn’t realise that I had broken it until it ballooned up on the Sunday morning. I went straight to the hospital and got it strapped up and I’m hoping to play next week.”

On the plus side, the returning David Renyard is approaching match fitness after a couple of run outs from the bench.

Adam McMath has left the club. One of the original squad formed in 2008 Adam has been a loyal servant to the club, scoring many important goals. However Adam’s opportunities were limited following the signing this year of last season’s South of Scotland leading scorer Iain Anderson. Adam has received an offer to play for Northbank in Carlisle and goes with the best wishes of the club and its supporters.