Gala Fairydean Rovers 0

Gretna 2

David Knox

at Netherdale

SLOW-starting Gala paid the price on Tuesday evening against improving Gretna.

Dean Shanks' team have already conceded more than half a dozen goals in the opening quarter hour of matches so far this season.

And during the midweek clash at Netherdale they leaked a further two - a deficit they couldn't come back from.

Angry boss Shanks told us: "Early goals are a problem and they are something we have to stop.

"I think that's eight or nine we've conceded in almost as many matches during the opening 15 minutes.

"We need to learn to start a lot better, for going behind in this league makes getting anything really difficult."

An injury to Ricky Miller and the imminent arrival of Daryl Johnson's baby meant Shanks had to reshuffle his back four from the team who comfortably beat East Stirlingshire just three days earlier.

And the uncertainty in the new-look defence was evident early on as Kingsley Grandison found plenty of space to head Jamie Hope's cross inches past the post.

A similar cross on eight minutes led to the opener with Kevin Connelly running unopposed to the front post to nod the delivery into the far corner of the net.

Just five minutes later Connolly added a second as he sweetly curled a shot from 20 yards beyond Patrick Martin.

Gala were restricted to long balls from defence as the visitors closed down quickly.

And the only real chance they created during a disappointing first half was Sean McKirdy's drilled ball across the face of goal on 32 minutes which was narrowly missed by Josh Morris.

A tremendous save from Martin to deny Dean Watson just a minute before the break kept Gala in the game.

And a vastly improved showing after the interval did raise hopes of a comeback.

A Tommy Patterson shot was well saved by Jim Atkinson on 52 minutes following good build up play from Dale Baxter.

Just six minutes later Hope made a great recovery and block to prevent Morris finding the target.

And on the hour a Baxter cross was headed just over his own bar by defender Jack Hunter.

Apart from a Connolly effort in the 70th minute, which Martin saved, Gretna didn't offer much going forward.

But they did defend well as Gala continued to press.

Reece Donaldson rifled a shot just over during a corner, and from another corner Craig O'Reilly was denied by the legs of keeper Atkinson.

With time running out Gala threw more and more players forward.

But the best they could muster was a Kieran Ainslie header straight at Atkinson and a Patterson shot in injury time which went high and wide from the angle.

Gala Fairydean Rovers. P Martin, K Ainslie, S Main, R Donaldson, K Watson, S Conaghan (D Smith 46), D Baxter, S McKirdy, J Morris, R Paton (C O'Reilly 56) & T Patterson.