Positive start for the Anvils

GRETNA FC 2008 kicked off the new Lowland League campaign with four points from their opening two games. Last Saturday they earned a terrific 2-1 victory away to Bonnyrigg Rose. Goals from Iain Anderson and Liam Short helped the Black and Whites to an opening day win, while Alassan Jones netted late on for the home side. Then on Wednesday night at Raydale Park, the Anvils drew 4-4 with Hearts B. Mackenzie Ross and Angus Stevenson had the visitors 2-0 up before Anderson pulled one back for Gretna ahead of the halftime whistle. Henry Lister added a third for Hearts before the hour mark. But Anvils striker Sean McKenzie soon got off the mark for his new club as he netted a hat trick in 20 minutes to put the hosts in the driving seat. Gretna were reduced to ten in the 93rd minute when Kayn Cranston was shown a red card. And Hearts B’s Tommy North fired home in the final seconds to snatch a point for the young Jambos. Assistant manager Kevin Somerville admitted he was delighted to get four points from the opening two fixtures. Speaking after the Hearts game, he said: “It was outstanding value for money for the supporters. It was exciting, it had a bit of everything: A bit of disappointment in the first half, a great comeback in the second and a sore one at the end where they got an equaliser. “Over the game, was a draw fair? Probably. I thought Hearts were the better team in the first half and in the second half we took it to them. “To get four points out of six is credit to the boys. Their attitude’s been first class in both games. We go into Saturday (against Linlithgow) and hopefully get something out of the game.”