Gretna 1 v 2 Albion Rovers 
Division 3
7th December 2002
Gretna 1 v 2 Albion Rovers
Division 3
7th December 2002
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Attendance : 289
Scorers ~ Gretna : Henney (17). Albion Rovers : Silvestro (61), Mercer (74).
If someone could persuade Rovers’ boss Peter Hetherston to give his half-time pep talk about an hour earlier, his lads would have most matches done and dusted well before the interval whistle.
Following a first half of frankly mediocre fare from both teams, Rovers moved up a gear after the break and were latterly most unfortunate not to have come out on top by at least four goals. Scoring attempts were kicked off the line, the woodwork was rattled and there were a couple of rank bad attempts at finding the net. Nevertheless, the fighting qualities of the Coatbridge side again shone through and they achieved the result which catapulted them to the top of the table.
Missing Kevin McAllister and Jered Stirling, but with Andy Paterson and Chris Silvestro back in the frame, Rovers took the game to Gretna in the opening spell. In the 8th minute, a great ball from the left flew across the face of the home goal with Paterson - well forward - just unable to make contact at the back post. Within a couple of minutes, Gretna midfielder Marc Cleeland was booked for a foul on Silvestro.
Lucky Goal
Although Gretna were certainly now more in the game, even they must have been surprised when they took the lead in 17 minutes. Matt Henney’s shot, while good enough, was destined to be gobbled up by Scott Shearer until it struck the unlucky Jordan Smith and was deflected into the net past the big man. It was a cruel blow and it looked as if Rovers would struggle to come to terms with it.
In 27 minutes, Rovers’ Todd Lumsden was yellow-carded, virtually the only incident of note until the 44th minute when Lee Duncan, showing good control, was through on goal, but under pressure fired his drive about a foot wide of the upright.
Within seconds of the restart, Jim Mercer’s strong shot was just too straight and home ‘keeper David Mathieson gathered easily. Two minutes later, following a corner, Mercer again drove for goal only to see the ball cleared off the line. Then Peter Cormack’s free-kick scorched past the wrong side of a post. Gretna showed that they could be dangerous on the break and in 50 minutes a cross by Henney was met at the back post by the unmarked Steven Skinner who skied the ball high over. It was something of a let-off for Rovers.
Equaliser
Shortly afterwards, referee Colin Hardie’s wee black book had the names of John McCaig and Charles McLean added, the latter being withdrawn in 59 minutes to allow Iain Diack to take the field. The new man had been active for only two minutes when he sped down the left and crossed into the middle. Once again, the packed defence seemed to have done its job, but when the ball was cleared out about twenty yards to Silvestro, the energetic midfielder pounced to send a rocket shot low into the net.
Gretna’s Ronnie McQuilter was next to fall foul of Mr Hardie before yet another Rovers’ try was cleared at the last possible moment. As Rovers visibly gained in confidence, a great Duncan effort smacked off a post. Although the hosts were generally on the back foot, they occasionally broke forward and when Skinner found space on the right, Shearer had to be alert to turn the ball away.
In the 74th minute, Rovers at last got the second - and ultimately decisive - goal. A cross from the right by John Bradford was met by Mercer who hooked the ball into the net from close range for a thoroughly deserved strike.
In the remaining time, Rovers again had a shot blocked on the line and a strong cross from Gretna’s Henney raced across the face of Rovers’ goal without finding a foot, friendly or otherwise. Then, with only seconds remaining, Diack was sent clear of the home defence and looked odds-on to complete a joy day for the visitors. However, his final shot was more like a rugby conversion attempt - and he knew he had missed a great chance. If it had been needed to get the win, it would have been a disastrous miss, but, as it transpired, it didn’t really matter.
Gretna : Mathieson, McGuffie, Milligan (Eeles 87), Turner, May, McQuilter, Skinner, Irons, Dobie, Henney, Cleeland. Unused Subs : Cummersky, Hewson, Grainger, Wylie.
Albion Rovers : Shearer, Paterson, McCaig, Smith, Cormack, Lumsden, Bradford, Silvestro, Duncan (Weir 89), McLean (Diack 59), Mercer. Unused Subs : Dick, Richardson, Fahey.
Referee : Colin Hardie
Man of the Match : Chris Silvestro
