AIRDRIE UTD

It didn't take Airdrie long to take an early lead in this one. Only three minutes on the clock and Alan Gow had taken a lay off from Stevie McKeown to set Owen Coyle up with a clear cut chance that the 37year young hitman never passes up. One nil and cruising to our long awaited three points? Airdrie had started well and, having taken the early lead, soon fell onto the back foot and let their defensive deficiencies come to the fore again. That said, Forfar aren't a bad team themselves. A recipe for disaster. In defence we had a clearly toiling Scott Wilson, a shell of the player he was in the last three months of last season. His brilliant passing and confidence gone. McManus, thankfully, continued his fine form whilst Mad-dog McGowan was part mad dog, part lost puppy. Our midfield was less than inspiring too. Docherty had one of his worse games on the right, Dunn proved he cannot defend as a wing back whilst constantly probing going forward, and Ronaldo and Marv's positioning and defensive abilities were often lacking. A major plus was the form of Gowser in the 'playmaker' role behind Owenie, who was on the same wavelength. Dosser had some decent contributions but looked incapable of moving on the waterlogged surface.

The increasingly inevitable goal was coming. Forfar were exploiting the obvious weakness in the left side of the park where Dunn didn't know if he was in Weymss Bay or Bombay, and a long cross was flicked on to Barry Sellars on the left side of Forfar's attack. His marker Ronaldo completely mistimed his challenge in the air, and got turned on the ground with ease, for Sellars to finish in style.

As for half time substitutions, it was obvious that our missing fluency would only come back with Dunn being moved into the centre of midfield. But who could come on at left back? 40 year old Kenny Black, or the inept Willie Wilson. Needless to say neither made it onto the field, hardly surprising given the options, and our disjointed form continued. Less than ten minutes into the second half Forfar took the lead in style. Former Dundee Utd player Hugh Davidson was given acres by Docherty and Ronaldo, to cut in from the wing before curling an unstoppable effort high, and handsomely, past Mark McGeown in our goal. At last Airdrie upped the tempo and were rewarded when a monstrous crossfield pass from Dunn was laid into Coyles path by Gow. Unlike Stevie McKeown who'd earlier fluffed things when sent clear Coyle got in front of his man and drew the professional foul just inside the box. A clear penalty, easily despatched by Gow, and and automatic red card? No, the bawheided referee didn't even look for his cards!!!! Incredible.

Moments later, the ever dangerous Paul Tosh ran straight at Scott Wilson and Alan McManus. Wilson stopped him and McManus stepped clear with the ball, all rather innocuous from my vantage point, but melon heid decided to even things up. Tosh took full advantage of the early Christmas gift from the out of proportion official whilst Wilson was hooked by Stewart for a more attack minded Jerome Vareille. The change of formation, to a very attack minded 424, spurred Airdrie on for another equaliser. Ten minutes from the end Gowser expertly finished off a fine cross from Dunn from 10 yards out. Airdrie piled forward in search of a winner but were foiled by a resolute Forfar defence, bad luck, and the obligatory poor Airdrie finishing ("Don't shoot Marvyn" x 1000).