Cumbernauld Colts return to winning ways by beating Gretna

The victory, Colts’ first in seven games, leaves them three points adrift of sixth-placed Gretna, with two games to play.

Colts started with a spring in their step and took the lead in three minutes when Craig Holmes delivered a great ball to the back post and Jeff Fergus made no mistake with a thumping header into the roof of the net.

Colts continued to dominate and in 25 minutes they doubled their lead when Fergus turned provider by slipping the ball into the path of Gavin Lachlan who neatly placed the ball beyond Gretna keeper John Wightman.

And the Cumbernauld men made it three with only 30 minutes on the clock, Fergus grabbing his second of the game with a low angled drive which sneaked in at the near post with Wightman at full stretch.

Gretna got a lifeline in 32 minutes when Steven Kerr was harshly judged to have fouled Thomas Halleran and Grandison made no mistake with the spot kick.

Andy Hunter saw a close-range effort crash off the Gretna bar with Wightman well beaten and the visitors made the most of that escape to pull another back in 35 minutes, Grandison firing the ball across the face of goal for Studholme to stab the ball past Ronan Fallens.

But Colts again started brightly in the second half and were rewarded when substitute Connor McKenzie drilled the ball across and Michael Wallace nipped in at the front post to divert the ball past Wightman.

Colts made the game safe on 66 minutes as Holmes neatly fed the ball into the path of Hunter who made no mistake with a neat low finish from just inside the box.