MANAGER of the moment Mark McGhee saluted his team's third win on the bounce then admitted there's no way they can maintain their push for a European place. David Clarkson bagged a brace and Chris Porter also netted as the on-form Steelmen easily swept Gretna aside.
But McGhee - who is being strongly touted for the Scotland job - insists Well simply don't have the squad to continue racking up victories.
He said: "That's three wins in a row with three clean sheets but there is no point saying we are going to do this or that because you never know what can happen.
"We have 12 outfield players for 10 positions and if you lose one or two somewhere along the line you are going to hit a blip.
"But our target has to be to carry on and keep winning I was pleased with our performance and we seemed to get stronger and stronger as the game went on."
McGhee hailed his scorers. He said: "Confidence is a huge thing and you can see David has plenty of that just now.
"Chris was fantastic and led the line brilliantly. He is really starting to find his feet."
Incredibly it took Well until the brink of the interval to break the deadlock after squandering a series of chances in the first half.
ChrisInnes came to Gretna's rescue in four minutes with a last-ditch challenge to prevent Porter tucking away Steve McGarry's cross.
Keeper Craig Fleming was called into action to smother Ross McCormack's drilled free-kick and minutes later had to look lively to parry a stinging McGarry effort round the post.
Gretna created their best chance in 16 minutes when Paul Murray's thunderbolt was blocked and fell kindly to Fabian Yantorno.
But No.1 Graeme Smith was smart off his line to narrow the angle and hold his shot.
Well always looked the more likely to open the scoring and in 38 minutes Porter seemed certain to strike.
He was just two yards out when foiled by a desperate challenge by Gavin Skelton.
From the corner Porter sent a header off a post before the ball was scrambled clear.
It was a siege now and Stephen Craigan's powerful header was cleared off the line by Skelton.
Well could have been excused for thinking it was not going to be their day but they finally got the breakthrough in 44 minutes.
Jim Paterson's cross from the left was won in the air by Porter and Clarkson's anticipation was rewarded when he volleyed home from eight yards with the defence static.
After that it was a case of how many and Well got their second on the hour.
McCormack's corner was won in the air by Craigan and Porter steered his header into the far corner for his seventh of the season.
Gretna had a couple of half chances to reduce the deficit but the home team were celebrating again in 73 minutes when Clarkson drilled a low 16-yard shot in off the inside of the post.
Gretna were chasing shadows in the final 15 minutes as Clarkson and Porter squandered further chances and they were mightily relieved to hear referee John Underhill's final whistle. Englishman Porter said: "Gretna did okay first half and looked lively but seemed to fall to pieces in the second period.
"I thought it was going to be one of those days when they cleared the ball off their line three or four times."
Porter also refused to get carried away with Well's run.
He said: "A UEFA Cup place would be great but it is too early to think about that."
REF WATCH
JOHN UNDERHILL was hardly noticed, underlining his command of the game, which was over as a contest by the hour. Rating: 7/10.
