GRETNA’S Lowland League season ended last Saturday with a 2-0 defeat to relegation threatened Gala Fairydean Rovers.
Lewis Hall and Liam Hoggan got the goals for the Galashiels outfit in front of a healthy crowd at Raydale.
The win for Gala means they should be safe, they lead Broomhill – who still have a game to play – by three points and a superior goal difference.
For Gretna, they brought to an end their campaign with four consecutive defeats, however, manager Vinnie Parker knows there is plenty to be positive about.
He said: “We looked like we’d run out of fuel. We were the walking wounded, there was lads with loads of minutes in their legs and who have played in loads of different positions.
“I said last week that we knew Gala were going to come down here and throw the kitchen sink at us. They certainly did that.
“Apart from the first 20 minutes, where we really should have taken our chances, I felt they looked like the hungrier side.
“We probably lacked creativity and a bit of imagination in our play and it was a pretty poor second half display from us.
“It looked like an end of season display, unfortunately, from us, but it lets us know where we’re at and what we need to do for next season to really kick on.
“This season was all about giving us a foundation, a bit of stability and letting us know where we are.
“We certainly need to do a bit more recruitment wise and a bit more on the training ground to make ourselves more competitive next year.”
Parker added: “If you sit in our changing room, we all know we could have done a bit better. But the league table never lies. We’ve had far too many draws and far too many displays like this, especially since February.
“I always feel like we could’ve done a bit better. But I’ve got to be positive as well. We’ve had some fantastic performances and as a unit and as a team we’ve grown, on and off the pitch.”
The Anvils’ league campaign might be over, but they still have the opportunity to lift some silverware.
Gretna welcome Stranraer Reserves to Raydale Park in the SCFA Challenge Cup semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
Parker said: “It’s going to be an extremely tough game. Allan Jenkins has his team extremely well organised.
“They’re young, fit, full of energy and full of quality. It’s a big hurdle to overcome but we’re desperate to overcome it and get to a cup final.”
