FROM my classroom window at school I used to watch Alan Main fastidiously practising his goal kicks. That was the bumpy playing fields of Lossiemouth in the mid-1980s. At Hampden yesterday, the Gretna goalkeeper might have become a penalty hero but it was not to be. Yet he hardly wore the look of a defeated man afterwards. The 38-year old veteran was positively beaming. Mind you he had been singled out as man-of-the-match by both Brooks Mileson and Vladimir Romanov.

A bus-full of family and friends had made the long journey south from the Moray Firth to watch Main in action against Hearts. He didn't let anyone down. "I'm really proud of the fact that my mum was here, my brothers, my sister, my wife and my kids. It has been a fantastic day for me. I think I'm the oldest player in our team and my team-mates were relying on me to be dominant in my own penalty area." Main undoubtedly managed that.

His relationship with Scottish Cup finals is not entirely satisfactory since 16 years ago, in the so-called Family Final, he was foxed four times by Motherwell as Dundee United lost a seven-goal thriller. Three years later - now with Rangers - Main missed out on the final through injury. He sought a winner's medal at last but, in the event, had to settle for less.

"It could have went the other way," reflected Main. "Some people may have thought we would get thumped 5-0 but we worked really hard and created some opportunities. We're just disappointed we didn't take more of them. And we are disappointed we lost the goal in the manner that we did. But we had a go at them in the second half. We believed that we had a chance."

When Bruno Aguiar's drive was deflected over the Gretna crossbar, Main patted Edgaras Jankauskas on the back, as if to say "not this time". But Hearts would be back. Main was facing the sun in the first-half and jumped with Deividas Cesnauskis for an immaculate catch. Main's opposite number Craig Gordon had already fumbled the ball. The Gretna goalkeeper was the busier of the two but looked the more assured.

But Rudi Skacel's strike, which the Gretna custodian could do little about, ended Main's run of clean sheets in the Scottish Cup this season. St Johnstone, Clyde twice, St. Mirren and Dundee had all failed to get the better of him. Oddly, Preston Athletic and Cove Rangers, those giants of the Scottish game, did manage it.

After Hearts scored, Main's task was to ensure that Gretna's uphill struggle didn't become a vertical ascent. He dare not allow his line to be breached again, though Hearts had more than half of this match left to do so. Main remained steadfast in the face of the series of Hearts assaults on his goal.

When Gretna equalised, the players piled up on each other by the corner flag nearest their 12,000 delirious supporters. Main was far from the group celebration, but jumped up and down in his own half, waving his big white gloves to the bench.

In extra-time, Skacel was through on Main and looking to pass him for a second time. The Gretna keeper held his ground. The Hearts man stumbled over him. A penalty? Not at all, though Main maintained it might have been given. Gretna get a last-minute corner and Main wants to go up and meet it. But he thinks better of it and stays back.

It's penalties. "C'mon Alan Main!" shouts a Gretna fan. This is the goalkeeper's domain. Perhaps Main's time has come. "In the huddle we decided I'd go the same way for every penalty," explains Main. "It never worked but I think that, in all fairness, they took their penalties superbly, top corner most of them. And credit to Craig Gordon for making his saves. To save a couple of penalties of my own would have been great. But I am proud of how I've played."

For Main, after the low of defeat, came the high of applauding the Gretna supporters and embarking on a lap of honour which no-one would begrudge. "The ovation we got from the Hearts fans was fantastic," said Main, "It was a great feeling for us doing the lap of honour. Everybody from Gretna should be walking out of Hampden with their heads held high. We didn't come here expecting to win, but we gave it our best."

Of course Gretna have the considerable consolation of playing in Europe next season and Main has twice before sampled continental competition during spells with Dundee United and St Johnstone. Just like yesterday, he will be a handy man to have when all that comes around. Main has a year left on his contract at Raydale Park and hopes to guard goal for a couple of seasons yet before retirement. He has chapters of his career still to be written and if he finishes it with Gretna then really anything is possible. The best story to be part of is a fairytale.

"I've not missed much this year," says Main. "I've worked hard and, overall, I was happy with my performance today. Next season will be a massive season for the club going up a league and Gretna will be looking to recruit new players. It's been a fantastic experience getting to the Scottish Cup final and we look forward to Europe too." Main remains part of Gretna, a dependable goalkeeper worth his weight in gold.

Taken from the Scotsman