S.L.F.L.
31.01.2015
Spartans. 2 (1)
P.Sludden(2)
Gretna FC 1 (0)
B.Longcake
Spartans ended Gretna's unbeaten
run with a workmanlike performance in the only Lowland league match that
managed to beat the weather.
The game itself did not reach any
highs with both teams having to play in a strong chilling wind, quality
football was not the order of the day.
Gretna played with the wind and
their first effort blew aimlessly behind Swain's goal. At the other end Graham
Wright denied Spartans' Sludden turning the ball out for a corner.
Marksman Iain Anderson was in for
an afternoon of close attention as was Brandon Longcake. The visitors were
awarded a free kick after a poor challenge by Nixon on Longcake just outside
the Spartans area on the left. Connor Graham whipped in a ferocious curling
cross but Anderson failed to connect in front of goal.
Spartans then had a spell in the
Gretna penalty box where Wright produced a series of miraculous saves to keep
out Sludden, Brown and Bremner. Down the other end Scott Milligan breaking
towards goal was tripped by Malone and to the amazement of the Gretna support
the Spartans defender escaped caution. Graham's free kick was headed behind for
a corner. A break upfield by the home side found Sludden in behind the Gretna
defence where he slotted the ball beyond Wright into the net with the visitors
appealing for offside, the goal was allowed to stand,1-0 in the 37th.minute.
Chances fell to Gretna's Dave
Wallace and Scott Milligan but neither found the back of the net. H/T 1-0.
Gretna got the second half
underway and in the opening minutes Anderson was on the end of yet another late
challenge in the air and landed clutching his back. Wright is the busier of the
two keepers as Spartans hold the upper hand pinning the visitors back with the
aid of the strong wind launching long balls from their own half. Another blow
for Gretna when Longcake lost possession
in his own half and Gretna go two goals behind Sludden the scorer, 2-0.
Stuart Rome made his first substitution
with Joe Slattery replacing the injured Anderson. Slattery was soon in the
action when he linked up with Miiligan inside the box but Spartans MacKinnon
headed behind for a corner.
Heading into the last ten minutes
the visitors showed more urgency in their play that had been missing for most
of the game. A move down the right involving Graham, Slattery and Longcake
produced the goal of the game with Longcake striking the ball beyond the
helpless Swain from just inside the box, 2-1.
As Gretna pushed for an equaliser
Spartans found it difficult to get out of their own half with Swain denying
Milligan from a free kick on the edge of the area. The keeper produced a
fantastic save turning the ball over the bar for a corner. Gretna had the ball
in the net from the resultant corner kick, but the official ruled an
infringement had taken place against the keeper. F/T 2-1.
Spartans :
K.Swain, J.Nixon, G.Cennerazzo,
E.Malone, A.MacKinnon, C.Stevenson, J.Beesley, I.Thomson, P.Sludden, W.Bremner,
A.Brown. Subs:K.Motion, E.Douglas, K.Sivewright, J.Beacher, D.Henretty,
B.Carswell(GK).
Gretna :
G.Wright, R.Halliday, G.Thorburn,
D.Wallace, A.Inglis, D.Addison, B.Longcake, A.Main, I.Anderson, S.Milligan,
C.Graham. Subs:J.Slattery, D.Neill, G.Cowper, D.Graham, R.McLean, C.Murray(GK).
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