St Mirren 2 - 0 Gretna: Gretna go down as the Raydale spark glows ever more faint

Published on Saturday 29 March 2008 18:59

GRETNA'S short-term fate has been decided. Down they go. How far they fall is still to be determined. All they could do was delay their drop into the SFL. This pathetic silhouette of a football club needed a win and they lost.

It wasn't a meaningless match. Rather it was meaningful in the sense that Gretna were able to take part after 29 staff – including nine first team players – lost their jobs. Those spared that fate face further uncertainty since there is scant consolation in being saved.

Such a depressing debacle and a sign of these SPL times; this side-splitting league would be funny, if it wasn't so damned grim.

Gavin Skelton is a Gretna player of seven years standing. "I've never been relegated before," he said. "It's not a nice feeling having that on your CV."

He added: "We have our careers to play for and the club's future to play for. The pressure is never off.

"We don't know if the club's going to be here, who's going to be here, if we'll get paid in two weeks' time. It's all up in the air. I just hope there is a club for the supporters."

Gretna caretaker manager Mick Wadsworth was absent. He was in England taking care of his future. Coaches Andy Smith and Iain Scott were in match-day charge of the visitors who ran out in blue shirts that matched the mood.

Two Gretna fans laid their modest banner over empty seats – a small cry for help. But who is listening? It was right that it rained yesterday. Sunshine would have been incongruous in such a rotting scenario.

Yet St Mirren were smiling. Craig Dargo broke his duck and darted about. His first St Mirren goal showed the instinct he had mislaid for so long. Jim Hamilton's shot struck Andy Dorman and Dargo pounced to rifle a shot past Gregg Fleming.

Dargo, a man transformed, then almost lobbed the Gretna goalie and bashed an angled drive off the post. The wonders a goal can do for you. "I just had a feeling he'd score today," said Dargo's manager Gus MacPherson.

Gretna hung on to half-time. Hanging on has become their hallmark.

Letting go leads to oblivion.

Billy Mehmet scored St Mirren's second by drilling in from the edge of the box. Still, give Gretna due credit for not giving up. How they craved a goal.

Gretna substitute John Paul Kissock resembled a member of The View, but he was good to watch, marrying his tricks with industry. Gretna were going down fighting. Imagine it. You had to admire these players. It wasn't their fault.

Goodbye Gretna … so long … now how long? It's the unanswered question.