Airdrie and Raith can both take credit for an entertaining and sporting contest from the off. Airdrie in no way looked inferior to the visitors and gave as good as they got throughout. Things started well enough. As always Airdrie took twenty minutes to suss out the opposition before attempting to dismantle them but unfortunately on this occasion Sandy Stewart's ever degenerating hamstring decided to play up. A real shame because this class act had organised things so well from the off. His minders/mentors, Armstrong and Scott Wilson were comfortably dealing with the well kent threat of Smith and Prest, whilst Docherty was looking reassuringly adept and in control in the middle of the midfield. Most importantly too, the unpredictable Willie Wilson was having another improved performance down the right against the classy Calderon. He may not be the best player we've ever had but his improvement in recent months has been dramatic. Proof that the correct attitude and approach can make up for a lot of things.

Things were to take an unexpected downturn for the worse midway through the first half thanks to that aforementioned hamstring of the gaffer's. Denied of the bosses undoubted class we had to draft the Doc back to sweeper and bring on Ronaldo in midfield. I was again dismayed that Darren Miller was overlooked but my fears were to be calmed by the shock of the season but more of that later. Initially the defence would take five minutes to settle. First Raith had a double miss as McGeown, with an unbelievable stop, then the post, thwarted Raith, but a couple of minutes later Andy Smith was sent clear by an unlucky ricochet that deceived the still realing defence. As we all know big Andy needs no second invite to take advantage of those chances. How many has he scored against us now?

As if we needed reminding we had a game to take care of. That miss settled the defence down. Funny old game, eh? Docherty rallied the troops, and a very different kind of hero would stamp his authority on proceedings. Step forward Ronaldo, central midfielder. The big man would make the Raith midfield look like amateurs for the remainder of the first half. Some crunching tackles and probing runs later he was to have his moment. Receiving a terrible pass on the halfway line he managed to deceive three Fifers and charge deep into Raith territory. He slid a through ball to Veraille whose shot across Ramiro was only parried by the Argentine to the onrushing Gow to blast home the equaliser from 10 yards.

There was no letting up in the second half and we did hold out for the draw thanks partly to another fantastic save or two from McGeown and a farcical miss from Prest when Raith were five against one thanks to a loose pass from Gardner deep in Raith's half.