Raith

Airdrie failed to settle into this potential ‘banana skin’ of a game. Though the presence of Neil McGowan brought a reassuring calm to proceedings, it was obvious that Raith were buoyant and scrapping desperately for something. Airdrie were almost the exact opposite, almost apathetic. Raith were gifted and early lead when Neil McGowan and Mark McGeown made a hash of a routine goal mouth clearance. As both players seemed to dither, Sacko, Raith’s lively no. 10, sped between them to nick the ball and roll it into the deserted goal. McGowan furiously raged at McGeown, but the goalie gave as good as he got. Where was the communication guys? Sort it out, you’re better than that!! Airdrie’s play was sloppy at best throughout the game. Playmaker David Dunn tried his best to collect the ball and spray the passes about but he just wasn’t clicking at all. Dunn has been excused to much criticism as he reportedly has a foot injury, but he’s had to try to carry the can himself too often. The defence were having a hard time. Sacko and Ebanda, up front for Raith, were very adept at closing down our defence and Raith’s overall pressing game made life very difficult. Raith were solid in central defence, Slovakian centre-half Hajovsky a stand-out, competent in midfield, and lively up front. There was a lot of niggle though, and Ebanda made a real meal of a challenge by Lovering, then shamelessly implied by his actions that he’s been caught again, a deliberate attempt to have our man sent off!

Airdrie were pretty woeful. McManus and McGowan were struggling in their battle, Marv and Dunn were misfiring in midfield, Jerome had some neat wing play in the first half but ultimately he, and fellow ‘winger’ Roberts, created nothing. McKeown and Coyle couldn’t be faulted for effort. Neither men got the breaks but both worked hard at getting and retaining possession but were playing against a brick wall. Basically Airdrie were sadly lacking any pace and, subsequently, no penetration. Mind numbing fair to say the least!

Second half was much of a likeness, the main difference being that the Airdrieonians got the benefit of a defensive lapse. This time Jerome pounced, well I say pounced – he never really got there, on a moment of Raith penetration. Raith’s goalie came out to thwart Varielle, who looked to be running in quicksand, but thankfully the ever alert Owen Coyle was on hand to fish the ball out of the melee that was forming, and no-nonsense striker Stephen McKeown chipped the ball home from 25 yards out. “Ave it” as they say (in the no-nonsense adverts). Airdrie had brought Docherty and Barkey on for Willie Wilson and David Dunn. The change did improve Airdrie a little, but Docherty almost sold the jerseys by leaving Sacko onside, but thankfully the defence managed to do enough to put him off when it looked like he could score. Paul Lovering came closest to sneaking a win with a thundering header that came off the crossbar. Lovering took a hefty headknock that annoyed him till the game ended. Thomas Hoey again came on for the closing stages and again impressed. He didn’t contribute much to the thread of the game but he looks to have good pace and stature and is definitely one for the near future. Raith’s persistent time-wasting wasn’t in vain. They got the draw they desperately craved.