Gretna 2008 1-0 Dalbeattie Star
Lewis Bell’s free kick early on in the second half secured the win for Michael McIndoe’s men as they completed the league double over their close rivals in front of the biggest crowd of the season so far at Raydale.
The Hogmanay clash was far from a spectacle with both teams battling hard; nothing separated them in a narrow first half.
Dalbeattie had the first and best chance of the opening 45 minutes. Dale Milligan found himself unmarked at the back post, but his header crashed off the crossbar.
The home side’s best chance was a long range driven effort from right back Ryan Muir which flashed wide of Star keeper Mason McCready’s goal.
Gospel Ochili tried his luck for Star on the left-hand side after Francis Kilpatrick fed the ball to the wide man following some neat midfield play. Ocholi beat his man but fired the shot well over.
Both teams showed that they were up for the occasion with quick pressing and physical play. Gretna midfielder Lewis Turner went in the book after cynically bringing down Myles Gaffney as the Star striker drove forward.
Gretna almost spectacularly went in ahead before the break through a defensive mishap. Milligan swung his leg to clear a cross but completely mistimed his kick, and the ball rolled inches wide of his own net.
Dan Carmichael made a return to action for 2008 in the second half following a lengthy period on the sidelines.
Immediately he proved to be a difference maker. Mbewe’s close range effort was well blocked by Ewan Gourlay and Jack Dickinson’s header was palmed round the post by McCready.
Gretna would soon be rewarded for applying the pressure. They went in front when Bell whipped in a dangerous looking ball from a free kick on the edge of the area. His cross-cum-shot evaded everyone in the box and went into the bottom corner of the net.
The half continued with Gretna completely dominant. Bell won another free kick in a shooting position. This time his curling effort went around the wall and flew narrowly past the post.
Star could not get out of their own half until the closing stages. The Islecroft side played long balls up to the forwards in the remaining minutes as they tried to salvage a point, but Gretna defended well. Kieran Moyles conceded a late free kick which invited Star substitute Liam Craig to have a shot at stealing a draw. His effort went straight into Main’s arms.
The result means that Michael McIndoe’s men stay where they are ahead of Saturday’s trip to face the University of Stirling. Meanwhile, Eddie Warwick’s squad remain rooted bottom of the Lowland League table, they host Cowdenbeath on Saturday.
Gretna: Main, Muir, Condie, Dickinson, Moyles, Turner, Bell, Muir, Short (Carmichael 45), Caves (Munro 84), Mbewe (Patterson 84). Subs not used: Dominic Duffy.
Dalbeattie: McCready, Uphill, Caffrey (Craig 69), Gaffney, Ocholi, Gallacher (Kavanagh 84), Milligan, Gourlay, Cumming, Kilpatrick, Ebbs. Subs not used: Johnston, Emmerson, Campbell.
Ref: Cameron Telfer.
Crowd: 318.
Record crowd enjoy derby day win
GRETNA 2008 welcomed their biggest crowd (318) of the season so far to Raydale Park on Saturday after the club handed out a number of free tickets to schools in the local area in advance of the Hogmanay clash.
Speaking to the Annandale Observer after the game, assistant manager Robbie Park said: “It’s fantastic. It’s the biggest we’ve had all season.
“I’m a bit sorry that we couldn’t produce as good football as we have been doing in the last few weeks.
“Today was more of a battle which is to be expected in a derby match.”
Patrick Callaghan, head teacher at Springfield and Kirkpatrick Fleming Primary School added: “The youth are the lifeblood of any sports club, and the best way to grow a club and its fanbase.
“It’s great that Gretna FC 2008 recognise this and on behalf of the schools and their families invited today, I’d just like to say thank you for their hospitality.”
On the game, Park added: “It was a battle. It’s always tough when the players have had almost four weeks without having an actual game, and I think that showed with the way we played.
“I think both teams were a bit hot and ready to go, but without actually producing the quality to go with it.
Gretna introduced Dan Carmichael from the bench after a period out injured. The former Queen of the South and Hibs man proved to be the difference maker in the second half for the Anvils.
Park said: “Dan has been biding his time for a while. He’s been to see so many specialists to do with his achilles.
“We’ve been wary about throwing him in too early. Today I think it showed he was the difference maker when he came on.”
Carlisle United loan man Lewis Bell notched the only goal of the game that secured three points for Gretna. Park confirmed that the winger should be remaining in Scotland for the rest of the campaign.
As the January window opens the assistant also insists that the management are always on the lookout for new additions.
Park added: “I don’t know if (Bell) meant (the goal) but he’ll definitely claim it! We work on these things in training so it’s no surprise that sometimes it will come off like that.
”Lewis will be extending till the end of the season. We’ve agreed it; it’s just a matter of when we can get it all signed and sorted. It’s a great coup for us.
“We’re always looking. We’ve kept a small tight squad for a reason.”
Next week the team go up against the high flying University of Stirling in a match that Park expects to be completely different to the 3-2 loss endured to the students at Raydale in July.
He said: “It’s a totally different game to the start of the season.
“I know they have definitely strengthened, but we played them last time without a full strength team.
“It will be be a really good game to watch.
“A good chance for our boys to go out and show what they’re capable of.”
