GRETNA SHOCKER
Last updated 11:06, Thursday, 07 February 2008
Scottish Cup - Fourth Round Replay: Gretna 0 Morton 3
Just 18 months after marching proudly all the way to Hampden Park as the smallest British club ever to reach a major final, the Borderers were coming to terms with the humiliation of being dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Morton.
Boss Davie Irons, one of the chief architects of that memorable cup run, admitted his players could barely speak in the aftermath of last night’s shocking display as they sat slumped in the dressing room, struggling to take in how their troubled season had hit a fresh low.
The harsh reality is that this new-look Gretna team is a shadow of that heroic side which took Hearts all the way to extra-time and penalties before losing 4-2 in a memorable final at Hampden in front of 52,000 fans.
In fact, on last night’s display, they were a pale imitation of the team which defeated Falkirk 2-0 just nine days earlier to give themselves renewed hope of escaping relegation from the SPL.
Morton didn’t even have to play particularly well to earn this comfortable win on a night when Gretna’s players could be accused of going out of the competition with a whimper rather than a bang.
The only consolation for Irons is that his team can now focus solely on SPL survival without the distraction of a cup run.
Having won only three games in the SPL all season, it’s no wonder people are doubting Gretna’s place in the top-flight, but after being thrashed by a team toiling in the bottom half of the First Division, they can not be confident of thriving at that level either.
Few players had the right to walk tall last night and many of the fans who turned out on a soaking wet evening voted with their feet by leaving as soon as Morton’s third goal bulged the back of the net. Peter Weatherson stunned Gretna with two goals in three minutes midway through the second half and, when Chris Millar tucked away the third, there was no chance of a fight-back from the Borderers.
There were few signs of the fate awaiting Gretna, who were devoid of their injured Uruguayan playmaker Fabian Yantorno, as they shaded a dismal first half.
Morton had to weather something from Gretna in the first half - though it was more a gust than a full blown storm.
Veteran of Hampden 2006 Gavin Skelton almost gave his side a dream start on 25 minutes only to be denied by an impressive save from Morton keeper David McGurn.
Midfielder Allan Jenkins - strongly linked with a move to Cappielow before the transfer window closes on Thursday - did well to beat two men, before picking out Henry Makinwa, who squared the ball to Skelton but McGurn brilliantly tipped the ball over.
There was further frustration for Gretna when skipper Paul Murray had a good effort blocked by the chest of McGurn.
Gretna keeper Tony Caig didn’t get his hands dirty until just before the break when he flung himself to tip Brian Graham’s shot round the post.
There was more urgency about both sides after the interval but, when Kenny Deuchar blasted over the bar from 20 yards and then placed a header just off-target, you began to wonder where a goal would come from.
Just as Gretna began to look devoid of ideas for the first time, Morton stunned them by taking the lead on 68 minutes.
Weatherson’s volley was too strong for Caig to keep out after a long free kick landed at his feet 16 yards out.
Three minutes later, Gretna were reeling when the striker hit his second goal with a solo effort from 25 yards.
Just to rub salt into the wounds, Millar added a third on 79 minutes after seizing on to Iain Russell’s lay-off and slotting past Caig.
Fans started to stream home and boos rang out at the final whistle. As Gretna’s players trudged off the pitch, the party was already in full swing in the Morton camp.
