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Footy walkers in final showdown

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By Amanda Kennedy
Annan and Eskdale
Footy walkers in final showdown

GRETNA 2008’s walking football team were runners up in the National Walking Football festival at Glasgow Green on Saturday.

This event saw 32 teams from across Scotland taking part, with the winners going on to represent Scotland in the home nations tournament later in the year.

Team coach Eric Dunion said: “Gretna’s group results were a 5-2 win against a team from the charity Show Racism the Red Card who fielded ex stars Derek Ferguson, Ally Dawson, Barry Ferguson, Joe Miller and Mel Sterling and two draws against Ayr Prestwick and Glasgow West.

“Teams entered covered the whole of the country from Gretna through The Borders and central belt, to as far north as Fort William, Dundee and Aberdeen.

“The initial stages involved teams playing in eight groups of four with the top two progressing to the knockout stages.”

Gretna progressed easily through the group stages before reaching the round of 16 against Ayr Utd.

Eric said: “Despite going 3-1 down, some strong encouragement and determination saw the Gretna boys pulled back to earn a creditable draw 3-3 including a cracking goal from Frazer Mitchell.

“Penalties loomed and new boy Tony Reid managed to score the sudden death winner to seal the win.

“The quarter finals saw the lads pitched against Show Racism the Red Card once again and despite Barry Ferguson sitting this one out the game still ebbed and flowed from end to end finally finished 0-0 with the dreaded penalties looming once more.

“Again though determination and a couple of good saves from Willie Cairns, Gretna progressed once more with the storywriters’ dream fixture coming to fruition.

“Gretna FC 2008 v Hearts – was this a chance for revenge from that famous Scottish Cup encounter “It looked all over when Hearts scored.

“With only a couple of minutes left, the pressure from Frazer Mitchell and I paid off with the myself banging in two goals in quick time to secure the win.”

The final was against Midlothian with a tired Gretna FC 2008 team finding the hard work from the previous rounds had taken it’s toll and Midlothian, who played very well throughout, securing a 2-0 victory with Gretna rarely troubling their back line.

Exhausted but happy with their efforts, the team were presented with a trophy and medals from BBC football legend Archie MacPherson.

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