Dundee United Finally Beat Troubled Gretna

Thursday the 6th of March 2008… it is a date for the record books, a date which will never be forgotten, because it was the day that Dundee United finally managed to be Gretna in the SPL.

Finally (at the 3rd attempt) Craig Levein`s side managed to beat bottom-of-the-league Gretna in the league, after goals from Garry Kenneth, Morgaro Gomis and David Robertson gave United a convincing 3-0 victory.

An embarrassing low attendance of just 507 turned out for the re-arranged SPL game at Fir Park, after the original tie was called off last weekend, due to an unplayable pitch.

It was obvious that many Dundee United players were determined to win a cup final place, with the League Cup final against Rangers just over a week away.

Levein made 5 changes to the side which could only manage a 1-1 draw with Saint Mirren last mid-week, with Christian Kalvenes, Jim O’ Brien, Prince Buaben, Garry Kenneth and David Robertson returning to the starting line-up at the expense of Mark De Vries, Danny Grainger, Danny Swanson, Mark Kerr(injury) and captain Lee Wilkie (injury).

United took the lead after just 15 minutes, when Garry Kenneth capitalised on a goal-mouth scramble to send a looping header over keeper Greg Fleming, after Jim O`Briens corner had been headed off the cross-bar by Christian Kalvenes.

In the 51st minute it was 2-0, after a great save from Lukasz Zaluska gave United the chance to counter-attack and Noel Hunt`s square ball was swept into the bottom corner by Morgaro Gomis.

David Robertson concluded the scoring in the 64th minute, when the young striker got on the end of a cross from man-of-the-match Christian Kalvenes and placed the ball past Greg Fleming to make it 3-0.

For most of the 90minutes, Gretna looked like a beaten team, a squad which has no confidence and has already given-up on the rest of the season.

Stranded at the bottom of the table, with rumours of serious financial problems and a 3-0 defeat at “home” infront of a pathetic 507 supporters… it was no surprise that the Gretna players hung their heads as they left the pitch at full-time.

Final score:
Gretna 0-3 Dundee United