Stalemate as Gretna and Saints battle out bore draw
Last updated 12:07, Monday, 12 May 2008
St Mirren 0 Gretna 0: Gretna bounced back from their six-goal mauling at Inverness by holding their own in a stalemate with St Mirren at Love Street.
Brendan McGill hit the home side’s crossbar in the third minute of the dour bottom-of-the-table clash and that strike was as close as either side went with legitimate attempts.
Franco Miranda and Craig Dargo had decent chances for the hosts who had the ball in the net late on when Stewart Kean’s effort was ruled out for offside.
Gretna arrived at Love Street with pride to salvage against the Buddies after they were drubbed 6-1 in the Highlands last weekend.
Captain Paul Murray returned to the already-relegated team’s starting 11, with midfielders Nicky Deverdics and Ben Wilkinson playing together in attack.
St Mirren lined up in a 4-3-3 formation and were still chasing ninth place, which will remain their target despite being unable to break down the league’s bottom side.
Manager Gus MacPherson made only one change, with Ryan McCay replacing the injured Stephen McGinn.
A purposeful start by the visitors saw Abdul Osman lofting in some dangerous balls and despite being unable to threaten from inside the box, they went close after three minutes.
McGill had the tiny band of visiting fans on their feet when his superb volley from 20 yards flew past Mark Howard only for it to crash off the bar.
Sluggish St Mirren finally began to come into the match with Andy Dorman and Dargo both pressing.
Billy Mehmet managed a shot on target in the 13th minute, but it was not troubling to Greg Fleming in the Gretna goal.
Miranda should have put St Mirren ahead in the 22nd minute when he raced into the Gretna penalty area, but he got under his shot from seven yards and it flew over the crossbar.
St Mirren’s territorial advantage was of little use to them as they were unable to turn possession into real chances.
Gretna again threatened in the 36th minute when Deverdics found space in the box and his right-footed drive looked goal-bound and would have threatened but for a last-gasp challenge from John Potter.
A series of corners provided more chances for Saints but again they failed to capitalise and at half-time the score sheet remained blank.
Dargo had a great chance to break the deadlock early in the second half.
Collecting a pass from Dorman he beat one defender but Fleming raced off his line, narrowing the angle to thwart Dargo’s close-range effort.
Gretna brought on Rostyn Griffiths for the injured Wilkinson just before the hour mark.
St Mirren then made a double substitution, with Stephen O’Donnell and McGinn replacing Jim Hamilton and McCay.
In the 69th minute Dargo again found himself with a one-on-one chance against the goalkeeper but again highly-rated youngster Fleming came on top, saving with his feet.
The hosts were having their best period of play and moments later they came close again when Naughton cleared off the line after Dorman had rounded Fleming.
St Mirren’s attacking play allowed the match to open up, with Gretna breaking and McGill going clean through.
Howard was alert though, brilliantly saving the 12-yard shot from McGill low to his left.
Stewart Kean replaced Dargo in the 84th minute and he had the ball in the net with only two minutes remaining but the goal was disallowed for offside by the linesman.
The SPL’s two lowest-scoring teams continued to try to find a breakthrough goal but the defences held out.
Match Facts
St Mirren: Howard, Barron, Haining, Potter, Miranda, Dorman, Mason, McCay (McGinn 62), Dargo (Kean 84), Mehmet, Hamilton (O’Donnell 62). Subs: Smith, Brady, Molloy, McAusland
Gretna: Fleming, Skelton, Meynell, Hall, Murray (Hogg 74), Barr, Naughton, Deverdics, Wilkinson (Griffiths 59), McGill, Osman. Subs: Krysiak, Sharples, Taylor, Robinson, Schultz-Eklund
Bookings: Osman and Hamilton
Att: 3,163
Ref: W Collum (Scotland).
