Raging Ritchie focuses on Gretna

Ritchie was left raging on Saturday when a mistake by referee Mike Ritchie allowed Hearts to grab a jammy winner in Saturday’s SPL clash between the sides.

The central defender was wrongly adjudged to have fouled Stephen Simmons on the edge of the visitors’ box with just four minutes of the match remaining and the scoreline standing at 2-2.

Ritchie left the official in no doubt he believed he had won the ball cleanly and was booked for his trouble.

Worse than that, he had to watch as Paul Hartley’s poor delivery ricocheted off United debut boy Lee Mair and hit the back of the net for the Jam Tarts’ winner.

“I understand referees have to make decisions as they see fit but I thought he made a wrong one and it cost us at least a point,” said Ritchie.

“I am not being bitter—it just wasn’t a free-kick.

“I can’t repeat exactly what I said to the ref but I did tell him I wasn’t happy.

“Emotions were running high and I said a few things I shouldn’t have but it was frustrating because our performance justified at least a draw if not a victory.”

But, as Ritchie admitted, he has little time to dwell on matters as he and his colleagues face runaway third division leaders Gretna in a cup tie many people believe could trip them up.

“It will be a difficult game and it is one we must win so the focus is now on that,” said Ritchie.

“We are on a hiding to nothing, even more so after losing to Hearts.

“Everybody knows how hard this could be for United and we have to be professional and treat Gretna with respect.

“We acquitted ourselves well against Hearts and should have taken something from the game but didn’t and it is back to the drawing board.

“We lost a bad goal before half-time and a bad goal just after half-time so we have to eradicate the mistakes if we want to beat Gretna.

“We should win the game, though, and will be going all out to do just that.”

Saturday’s setback was one the Tangerines did not deserve as they out-performed Hearts for long spells and their play was certainly easier on the eye than the stodgy stuff served up by the hosts.

United’s goals were crackers, too, with Barry Robson firing home a free-kick after 19 minutes, then Alan Archibald topping that with a bullet shot from almost 30 yards on 53 minutes.

And they had some great chances. Debut boy Stevie Crawford should have done better when sent clear by Grant Brebner early on but his shot was saved by Craig Gordon, while a Robson flick went close, as did a Mark Kerr piledriver.

But the statistics show just three victories out of 22 SPL games and United will have to win away from home for the first time this season if they are to secure a fourth-round meeting with Queen of the South.

And Gretna’s 100% record at Raydale Park does raise some eyebrows.

Saturday’s 2-0 success over Cowdenbeath made it 11 wins out of 11 on their own turf, not to mention the number 74 in their ‘goals for’ column.

So United will need to defend better than they did at Tynecastle. The first goal they conceded saw keeper Tony Bullock get nowhere near a Phil Stamp corner and Steven Pressley slid the ball home at the far post.

The second wasn’t any prettier, with Hearts sub Lee Miller left unmarked to tap home after a Kevin McKenna knock-down. The third was down to rotten luck rather than poor play but the late timing of it was still a source of frustration for United fans.

“We defended the first two goals badly—no doubt about that—but if we had been two or three nil up at half-time that wouldn’t have flattered us,” said manager Ian McCall.

“The turning point was the referee’s decision to give a free-kick that wasn’t and I don’t think he had a particularly good performance.

“That cost us and that’s why it is hurting so much.

“I can’t fault the players as they played ever so well in the first half and they know things will turn if we keep doing that.”

McCall, who travelled down to the Borders with his squad yesterday, insisted his players are ready for the challenge.

“Obviously, we are still feeling a bit sore after Saturday as we just did not get the breaks,” he said.

“But we are ready for this one and are looking forward to it.

“I just hope the game goes ahead this time.”

The weather forecast for this evening is heavy rain but Gretna boss Rowan Alexander was certainly optimistic when asked about the pitch last night.

“It is raining here in Dumfries but everything should be OK,” he said.

“The match against Cowdenbeath went ahead and the referee was happy with the surface.

“I’d like to think there won’t be a problem and that goes for our groundsman as well.”

Alexander will give midfielder Ryan Baldacchino, who has been sidelined by a foot injury, a late fitness test.

New signing Davie Nicholls, who joined from Falkirk on Friday, is not cup-tied from his time with the Bairns and is available.

“All our preparations for this match have been done and the players know what jobs I expect them to do,” added Alexander, who has targeted Dundee’s Neil Jablonski and described him as “one of a number of players I am interested in”.

“We fine-tuned everything again on Saturday and are keen to get going against United.”

Taken from The Courier