St Mirren 0 - 0 Gretna

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Saturday May 10 2008 03:00

Relegation and ultimately obliteration loom for Gretna but the plucky Borders club managed at least one final swansong, holding St Mirren to a 0-0 draw at a very sunny Love Street.

You could forgive both sets of players for dreaming about relaxing in foreign climates over the close season as concentration levels were not at their highest in a match that could politely be described as dull.

Gretna were the first side to thrust their way to the opposition goal and almost forged an unexpected lead in the third minute of play.Brendan McGill displayed a quick pair of feet to swivel on the edge of the St Mirren box before rifling in a half-volley that dipped over Mark Howard but ricocheted back off the bar.Billy Mehmet attempted a half-volley of his own for the home side as the striker met an Andy Dorman cross but the targetman could only knock his effort into the ground from 16 yards out, allowing Greg Fleming to make the easiest of saves.

The Love Street club were beginning to cut their way through the Gretna defence and Franco Miranda should have opened the scoring midway through the fist half.

Veteran striker Jim Hamilton met a hopeful clearance from defence with the deftest of flicks, allowing the winger a clear path to goal but Miranda inexplicably blasted his shot over from eight yards out.

It has been a barren season so far for Craig Dargo in the black and white stripes of St Mirren and the striker's woeful luck in front of goal continued early in the second half.

The former Inverness hit-man had the goal at his mercy only to get the ball tangled between his legs, allowing Fleming the time to race from his line to smother the danger.

Dargo had an almost identical opportunity moments later but again Fleming was on hand to stick out a toe to deflect the hapless striker's effort away from danger.

Both sides' offside trap was consistently being breached with first McGill and then Stephen McGinn striding clean through on goal for their respective clubs only for Fleming and Howard to produce vital parries.

St Mirren pushed forward towards the end of the match in an attempt to create the breakthrough that would have spared their blushes but it was not to be for Gus MacPherson's men who must improve their composure in front of goal if SPL survival is to be achieved next season.

  • 90
    That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.
  • 84
    Craig Dargo is replaced by Stewart Kean.
  • 80
    The referee has booked Abdul Osman.
  • 74
    Paul Murray is replaced by Steven Hogg.
  • 62
    Jim Hamilton is replaced by Stephen O'Donnell.
  • 62
    St Mirren are replacing Ryan McCay with Stephen McGinn.
  • 60
    Jim Hamilton is booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 59
    Ben Wilkinson is being taken off, Rostyn Griffiths has come on in his place.
  • 46
    The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 0.
  • 45
    The ref has blown his whistle for half time.
  • 0
    It's 3pm on Saturday, May 10th, the match has kicked off.

Statistics

St Mirren
Shots on target 8
Shots off target 4
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 5
Offsides 5
Corners 11

Gretna
Shots on target 5
Shots off target 3
Shots off bar/post 1
Fouls 11
Offsides 1
Corners 3

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