Berwick Fight Back to Deny Gretna Victory at Shielfield Park

Berwick Rangers 2-2 Gretna 2008

An important Lowland League fixture took place at Shielfield Park, with Gretna 2008 aiming to achieve a league double over Berwick Rangers. However, the hosts were determined to start moving away from the lower end of the table, setting the stage for an engaging contest.

Some hesitation in the Berwick defence just 90 seconds in allowed a Sam Atkinson free kick to drop to the feet of Jordan Wooding-Holt. He had two attempts from around nine yards, with the second one being grabbed by home keeper Calum Antell a yard off his line. A minute later, Robbie Ivison raced strongly down the left for Gretna and sent an inviting low ball across the Berwick penalty area, but there were no takers as the visitors made a bright start.

Berwick registered their first attempt after five minutes when Rayan Mohammed slipped the ball to Kyle Somers on the edge of the Gretna box, but his shot went well over the bar. Two minutes later, home keeper Antell required treatment after colliding with Gretna’s Iain Anderson as they both challenged for a Sam Atkinson near-post corner. Fortunately, he was able to continue.

The home side made the breakthrough after nine minutes as Mohammed found Liam Buchanan, who played a perfect pass to send Ben Scarborough racing into the Gretna box. His low left-footed drive from around fifteen yards saw keeper Jim Atkinson get a hand to the ball but fail to keep it out, putting Berwick ahead.

However, Gretna responded quickly and leveled the match after 14 minutes. Another Sam Atkinson free kick found the home defence static, allowing Dan Orsi to stroll onto the ball six yards out and guide it home past Antell—a soft goal for the hosts to concede.

With 16 minutes gone, the match erupted as Gretna keeper Jim Atkinson was caught slightly late by Mohammed while clearing the ball. A melee ensued, involving at least a dozen players. When order was restored, Mohammed received a caution from referee Colin Whyte for the initial foul. He was joined in the book by Buchanan, Dean Brotherston, and Ivison for their roles in the altercation.

Berwick nearly regained the lead after 19 minutes when Scarborough broke free down the left and sent a low cross across the six-yard area. Mohammed was only inches away from getting a decisive touch. Scarborough continued to be a threat and had the ball in the net again in the 24th minute, but the offside flag cut celebrations short.

Three minutes later, Scott-Taylor MacKenzie sent a high ball into the Gretna penalty area, which was well claimed by keeper Atkinson under pressure. At the 29-minute mark, Buchanan linked up play well, setting up Mohammed, whose right-footed shot from the edge of the box slipped just wide of the far post. Three minutes later, Mark McConnell split the Gretna defence with a slide-rule pass, but Somers was disappointed as his left-footed drive from 20 yards went a couple of yards wide.

Gretna had a half-chance after 35 minutes when Ivison played a through ball for Anderson inside the Berwick penalty area, but Alfie Robinson’s strong defending cleared the danger. However, with 38 minutes gone, the visitors took an unlikely lead through a bizarre own goal. A ball into the Berwick box was reached by Anderson, who turned it across goal. Antell got a hand to it, but the ball dropped in front of McConnell, who attempted to clear it but only managed to smash it onto the post and bar before it bounced into his own net.

The situation nearly worsened for Berwick three minutes before halftime when another superb Sam Atkinson delivery found Stuart Douglas unmarked at the back post. Somehow, he failed to hit the target with his header from six yards. In first-half stoppage time, Buchanan sent Somers to the byline, but his two attempts to deliver a telling cross into the box failed to find a teammate. At the break, Gretna held the advantage, showing resilience to turn the game around, while Berwick rued missed chances and poor defending.

The second half began with referee Whyte cautioning Gretna keeper Jim Atkinson after 47 minutes for delaying the restart. Four minutes later, Scarborough sent a decent low cross into the Gretna penalty area, with Atkinson diving to grab the ball just in front of Mohammed. Once again, the Gretna keeper went down theatrically but was fine to take the free kick moments later.

At the 53-minute mark, Sam Atkinson surged forward and unleashed a long-range effort from 30 yards, but it was always rising. Three minutes later, Berwick made their first substitution, replacing Mohammed with Jamie Watson. With 58 minutes played, a long throw-in from Scarborough was laid back by McConnell to MacKenzie, whose low 22-yard drive was blocked by a Gretna defender.

Berwick made another change in the 63rd minute, with Ben McCrystal replacing Somers. He was quickly involved, as Buchanan sent him down the right flank, only for Gretna’s Greg McCaragher to halt the move with an excellent challenge. Gretna’s attacking threat diminished as they resorted to sporadic forays forward. A long clearance from keeper Atkinson after 68 minutes allowed Wooding-Holt to play in Ivison, but his shot flew over the bar.

Two minutes later, Berwick’s Lewis Barr was booked for a clumsy midfield challenge on Wooding-Holt, with little room for protest. With 72 minutes gone, McCaragher delivered a cross that narrowly missed Anderson, who was waiting a few yards from goal. A minute later, McCrystal became the next player booked after a foul on Lewis Bell. At the same stoppage, Berwick made their final substitutions, introducing Matty Collins and Arran Laidlaw for Barr and Buchanan.

With 78 minutes played, frustration got the better of Berwick skipper Grant Nelson, who exchanged words with the referee. However, Whyte opted for a warning rather than a card. The second half had become scrappy, favoring the visitors as play frequently broke down in midfield.

Nine minutes from time, Gretna made their first substitution, introducing Reece Paterson for Anderson. They nearly sealed the match in the 83rd minute when a cross from the left saw Robinson’s attempted clearance sit up perfectly for Orsi, who struck a brilliant right-footed volley. However, home keeper Antell produced a stunning save, tipping the goal-bound effort over the bar.

Two minutes later, Gretna made their second change, with Liam Short replacing Bell. However, Berwick’s persistence paid off three minutes from time as they grabbed a deserved equaliser. A well-rehearsed corner saw MacKenzie whip in a fast delivery, and Robinson arrived late to power a bullet header into the roof of the net, making it 2-2.

Gretna made their final substitutions in the dying moments, replacing Orsi and Andrew Oram with Liam Lamonby and Ryan Coates. The final chance of the match came in stoppage time when Laidlaw won a loose ball and played in Scarborough, but a heavy touch inside the box allowed Jim Atkinson to claim it first.

As the final whistle blew, a draw seemed a fair outcome. Gretna had shown resilience to turn the game around in the first half and defended resolutely in the second. Meanwhile, Berwick’s manager Kevin Haynes praised his side’s determination in securing a comeback, and few could argue that the home side didn’t deserve at least a point from the match.