St Mirren 2-0 Gretna

Mar 30 2008 Alan Mcmillan At Love Street

STRIKER Craig Dargo crashed in his first goal for St Mirren as they dumped Gretna out of the SPL - then warned the rest of the league there's more to come.

Billy Mehmet wrapped up the win to secure Saints' SPL survival but gutsy Gretna went down fighting with a stirring performance.

Dargo, who joined St Mirren in the summer from Inverness Caley, has been hampered by injury but admits his lack of goals had been playing on his mind.

He said: "I've been desperate to get on the scoresheet so I'm delighted that it's out of the way now.

"You try not to let it get to you but people bring the subject up so it's always at the back of your mind.

"Hopefully I can now go on a scoring run. When I was at Inverness it took me 12 or 13 games to get off the mark then the goals started coming so hopefully it will be the same here.

"I thought I was going to get two on the one day. After scoring I hit another shot against the post but it looked as if the ball might just sneak in."

Love Street boss Gus MacPherson said: "I had a feeling Craig would score and I'm delighted for him. He has been playing well but strikers thrive on goals."

Gretna's squad was decimated by the administrator's axe before this match and they started with no recognised striker.

But the players who were left did themselves proud and showed early on they would still pose a threat.

One quick counter attack saw Kyle Naughton play in Brendan McGill down the right and his low cross looked perfect for Ryan Baldacchino - but Garry Brady got back to block.

The Buddies had another scare when keeper Chris Smith flapped at a cross and Danny Hall's header slipped wide.

Naughton then delivered a cracking cross for Baldacchino as he sneaked in unmarked at the far post but he failed to control and a good chance was gone.

Saints should have taken the lead after 21 minutes. Andy Dorman's free-kick found defender John Potter on his own at the far post but he was left kicking himself after firing past.

The home faithful were starting to get restless before Saints finally made the breakthrough in 28 minutes. Persistent play down the right saw the ball break into the box and Jim Hamilton slipped it to Dargo who fired a great shot into the corner of the net from 10 yards.

But Gretna refused to throw in the towel and Nicky Deverdics drilled an effort narrowly wide from inside the box after neat set-up play from McGill.

Dargo was agonisingly close to his second of the day in the 33rd minute.

Mehmet played him through the middle and his shot beat Greg Fleming but came back off the keeper's left post and was booted to safety.

Gretna came out fighting after the restart and almost levelled but Abdul Osman's shot was well saved by Smith.

Fleming had a more difficult save at the other end to deny Dorman but his resistance was broken in 49 minutes.

Gretna failed to properly clear Dorman's corner and Mehmet's low shot from just inside the box found its way through a sea of legs into the net.

The visitors might have pulled one back when a Gavin Skelton cross found McGill on the edge of the six-yard box but his header drifted harmlessly wide.

Deverdics did get enough power on his header from Naughton's cross in the next attack but missed the target.

With 10 minutes left sub Stewart Kean should have hit a third for Saints but drove against Fleming's legs.

REF WATCH

DAVID SOMERS started as if he was going to be fussy, giving too many soft freekicks. Settled into the game and had a confident match with no controversy. Rating:7/10.

MATCH STATS

ST MIRREN vs GRETNA

3 SHOTS ON 0

8 SHOTS OFF 9

6 OFFSIDE 4

9 FOULS 15

6 CORNERS 0

0 BOOKINGS 1