St Cuthbert Wanderers boss says Gretna 2008 standard is "minimum level" his players should aim for

St Cuthbert Wanderers gaffer Ian Clark has told his players the standards of Gretna 2008 is the “minimum level” they should be aiming for.

The Utility Hut South of Scotland League strugglers were beaten 7-0 by the side second bottom of the Lowland League in the South of Scotland Challenge Cup on Saturday.

And Clark believes coming up against a team from a higher level will benefit his squad in the long run.

He said: “It helps us because you realise the standard, the pace and the quality.

“If anyone has aspirations to be a better player, that’s the minimum level they need to be at and they understood that.

“I’ll always call out where we need to improve but I think on Saturday we did the right things and we worked hard.

“It was a frustrating day but hats off to Gretna, they did the job and they were a classy team.

“We’ve been on the end of some defeats and sometimes you get the not so classy response, but Gretna were very professional and went about their business the right way.

“I think the boys will learn from it. There’s an upwards trajectory, the mood’s changed, and since the turn of the year there’s been so many positives to take.

“The boys that have come in have picked up the work ethic of the boys that were already here – and the boys who weren’t interested in that are no longer at the club.”

Lewis Bell gave Gretna the lead before a brace from Iain Anderson put the visitors well in control at the break.

The returning Dan Carmichael made it 4-0 early in the second half before he quickly got his second and Gretna’s fifth.

Goals from Robbie Ivison and Zachary Hannay completed the rout.

Clark said: “Gretna were well drilled, they had good quality on the ball and in possession and they rotated