Gretna see red as capital side coast to league title

May 20 2009 by Susan Bryden, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

GRETNA’S promotion challenge was dealt a heavy blow, as they lost 4-0 to Tynecastle with three players seeing red in an ill-tempered affair on Saturday.

Tynecastle needed only a single point to secure promotion, and had the chance to get some revenge over the side that beat them to the Alex Jack Cup in January.

But the Edinburgh side had more than a little help from the referee and linesmen whose dubious decisions plagued Gretna’s chances.

Gretna started the more promising side, and were nearly off the mark after five minutes when a Steven Rudd free kick was well saved by the Tynecastle number one.

The game was then turned on its head when John Jardine was given a straight red after tripping over the ball and having adjudged to have felled Tynecastle’s Robbie Arthur.

An incensed 10-man Gretna picked themselves up, despite what they clearly felt was an injustice, and continued to make chances.

A dangerous free kick played in by Curtis Wood found Simon Ruddick’s head, but he could only send it into the arms of the Tynecastle goalkeeper

Tony Nicholson, whose speed was troubling the home side, chased down a pass out to the right wing to put in a sublime cross for Daniel Carmichael who headed wide of the left hand post.

The first half ended goalless, with both sides rueing missed chances.

Shortly after the start of the second half Paul Devlin broke the deadlock when John Jamieson parried a shot and the number 10 slotted home the rebound.

The second goal followed minutes later, was converted by Stephen McKenzie.

Sean Bannon came on for the injured Tony Nicholson on 50 minutes and Adam McMath for David Seggie on 55 minutes.

But before either could make an impact, Nikki White was judged to have brought down a Tynecastle player on the edge of the penalty area and was given a second yellow card, another controversial decision.

Being two players down the pressure was starting to tell, and a third goal came on 66 minutes when Steven McCormack headed home from a corner.

The visitors rallied briefly to create chances late on. But it was Tynecastle’s day, which was all too evident when a fourth goal was scored by the champions elect, despite claims of offside and that the ball had crossed the touch-line before being crossed from the right and headed home by Dean Summers.

Gretna’s misery was compounded when their keeper was shown a red card for protesting too strongly to the referee after the match.

Speaking to the Standard, Stuart Rome said: “The game saw a lot of bad decisions. It really was beyond me. In the first half we were magnificent. “The fourth goal was miles offside and the sending offs were incredible.

“Tynecastle are champions, and rightly so. They’ve had a great season and I wish them all the best. It isn’t sour grapes, but to lose your keeper and two centre halfs is massive.”

The result left Gretna needing two wins in their last two matches to make the second promotion spot.

Goals

Tynecastle: Devlin 47, McKenzie 49, McCormack 60, Summers 89.

Gretna: John Jamieson, Ryan Errington, Simon Ruddick, John Jardine, Nikki White, Steven Rudd, Curtis Wood, Daniel Jeffrey, Tony Nicholson (Bannon 50), David Seggie (McMath 55), Daniel Carmichael (Milligan 65). Substitutes not used: Carl Murphy, Dean Rea.

Tynecastle: John Gilbertson, Darren Aird, Aaron Paterson, Steven Sives, Gareth Thom, Gary Cherrie, Stephen McKenzie (Summers 65), Robbie Arthur, Ross Allum (Downie 70), Paul Devlin (Vito 68), Steven McCormack. Substitutes not used: David Bingham, Mark Cherry.