18th Mar 2006 Partick Thistle 0 Gretna 2 (SFL Second Division - game 29)

matches:2005-06: ← 44game 4546 →

Match Information

52y, 3m, 24d			Dick Campbell		Rowan Alexander
Sandy Hodge
Scott McCulloch
					Kenny Deuchar (0-1, 42 mins); Kenny Deuchar (0-2, 73 mins)
Darren Brady (Adam Strachan, 28 mins); Stephen McConalogue (Scott McCulloch, 61 mins); Paul Ritchie (Stevie Nicholas, 67 mins)					Ryan Baldacchino (John O'Neill, 61 mins); Steve Tosh (Allan Jenkins, 84 mins)
27y, 3m, 11d			Kenny Arthur		Alan Main
30y, 6m, 17d			Grant Murray		Gavin Skelton
25y, 5m, 14d			Sandy Hodge		Chris Innes
24y, 11m, 7d			Darren Brady		Mark Birch
19y, 9m, 14d			Scott Boyd		Ryan McGuffie
24y, 7m, 17d			Billy Gibson		Derek Townsley
26y, 0m, 27d			James Gibson		Davie Nicholls
29y, 6m, 22d			Ricky Gillies		Steve Tosh
37y, 1m, 21d			Paul Ritchie		Ryan Baldacchino
30y, 4m, 17d			Mark Roberts		Kenny Deuchar
24y, 9m, 2d			Stephen McConalogue		James Grady former Jag
27y, 3m, 27d
26y, 2m, 8d			Colin Stewart		David Mathieson
19y, 0m, 22d			Adam Strachan		Jamie McQuilken
24y, 8m, 10d			Stevie Nicholas		John O'Neil
30y, 3m, 17d			Scott McCulloch		Allan Jenkins
23y, 2m, 11d			Will Snowdon		Dene Shields

Match Report

TTA report

An easy win for Gretna (2 defeats in 27) against a poor Thistle side. They should have had the points in the bag earlier than they did. They scored with a tap-in after a parry by Arthur (42 ) and a fine shot when Boyd was brushed aside (73). Thistle's only shot on target was blocked in added time. Says it all, really.

Media report

20-Mar-2006, Daily Record

ROWAN LOST FOR WORDS; Gretna Boss Snubs Post-Match Chat. SOMEBODY had better send for a body language expert because Rowan Alexander sure doesn't say much. Last week the seething Gretna boss offered barely a word after watching his team lose to Morton. This time Alexander didn't even bother to turn up for the after-match analysis. You couldn't accuse him of being a bad loser again - his side had just ruthlessly dispatched Partick Thistle - but still he walked away and now the fans will have to guess what he thought of his team's performance.

Thankfully, Steve Tosh was on hand. The cultured midfielder reckons Alexander's actions are proof he is only interested in winning and, boy, do the statistics back this up. Gretna have been No.1 longer than anything Stock, Aitken and Waterman could muster as they first swept to the Third Division title and now stand on the brink of another championship. Tosh insists this relentless march is achieved by the mind, not the mouth. And it's an attitude he reckons Morton would be wise to adopt. He said: “We've built up a substantial lead and we are absolutely desperate to win every week so we can get this title wrapped up. We've always got to hear Morton say what a team they are. They may have beaten us at Raydale but you've also got to go to the Peterheads and the Alloas to win this division. We do that. If we're beaten one week the boys refuse to let it happen again. That's the kind of mental strength that wins you titles. As for Rowan maybe it was a bit of sour grapes after the Morton game. He's a winner like the rest of us.”

Firhill offered a stark contrast to Alexander as even the stewards are friendly. One was called into action after spotting a Jags fan sat with his feet on a seat while swigging from a can of Tennent's. While this action would send most of football's fluorescent army into a frenzy with ejection a certainty, one of Firhill's finest merely asked for the offending item and let the drinker stay.

How boss Dick Campbell must wish he could chuck the odd fan out. The Thistle boss was again a target for the boo-boys who long seemed to have forgotten his Scottish Cup heroics. But this performance was a world away from the displays that knocked out Inverness and gave Hearts a real scare. As soon as Kenny Deuchar tapped in the opener in 41 minutes after Kenny Arthur saved from Gavin Skelton, the outcome of this clash was never in any doubt. To prove it, the striker then latched on to Tosh's perfect pass and held off Scott Boyd before drilling in the second with 17 minutes to go. Campbell said: “Criticism is very easy but you have to work with the players to know them. I don't need them shouting abuse at me but I'll take it so long as they don't hurl it at the players. There's no one more disappointed with the defeat than me. At the first goal we were lazy although the second was as good a finish as you'll see. I must give Gretna credit because they look worthy champions.” They will take their place in the Scottish Cup Final, too, if they beat Dundee in front of the TV cameras next month. Maybe then Alexander will feel like a natter.

Scrapbook

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PTFC Website, 18th March, 2006

Stats Watch

ongoing sequences:

● 40 consecutive competitive appearances for Grant Murray, 30th Jul 2005 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Alex Burns - 48 games, 27th Mar 2002 to 24th May 2003. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

Stats Watch adheres to our stated definitions of League, League Max, Major Competitive, Competitive or All Games. Where there is no written qualification, you should presume that the Stat in question is compiled from the All Games criteria.

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