Stephen Docherty returned from suspension to replace Willie Wilson, but Kevin Christie missed this one after going over his personal points limit. Alan McManus returned from injury lay-off to replace him in defence. Falkirk were along similar lines to recent weeks with Kevin James back after injury. Since last time we played them, Aussie frontman (no. 9) Daniel McBreen has established himself as their top striker with 8 league goals already. Former Diamonds included Alan Ferguson in goals, Craig McPherson and Kevin James.

AIRDRIE UTD

Falkirk

Airdrie looked much more like a match for Falkirk from the off in this fixture, but were still a fraction below the Bairns’ performance level. The makeshift right flank of our team took a battering in the early stages of the game. Docherty, a more natural attacking midfielder who can do a decent enough job at times in defence, was left exposed on the right flank with only out of position ‘striker’ Mark Roberts for support as Falkirk flooded this area usually with three players, usually either alternating strikers Duffy or Moutinho who were being ‘picked up’ by Docherty, plus midfielder O’Neill and overlapping full back McPherson. McPherson, as we know to our cost after he spent a season at Airdrieonians, has a superb delivery into the box and troubled our defence on several occasions in the first half as the Falkirk trio carved out several good opportunities that had Mark McGeown scrambling to keep them at bay.

Elsewhere though the Diamonds had great service again from midfield dynamos Wilson and Hardie who gave their usual inspired display from start to finish, ably supported by youngsters McLaren and Gow. Both of the young strikers looked up for it, Gow was a bit crowded out in the middle with McKenzie playing extremely deep to limit his space, but this gave McLaren more space to attack Andy Lawrie. Indeed, Airdrie had the first real chance at goal when the jet healed McLaren sped through the middle but when cutting onto his right foot, he could only clip Ferguson’s left hand post. Frustratingly the ball rebounded into the goalie’s arms.

Falkirk took the lead in even more frustrating fashion moments later. As the defence tried to pass their way out of trouble Docherty fed a rather troubling ball down the right wing to Roberts. Within a flash, Falkirk were quick to close down all through the first half, Roberts was surrounded by three players, but he meekly surrendered possession in witless fashion. O’Neill had an easy task to carve open the defence for Duffy to deflect the ball past the helpless McGeown. Debate raged in the Gazebo as to whether Docherty was to blame for giving the ball to Roberts or whether Roberts is just totally inept but the milk was spilled. How would Airdrie react? It didn’t take long for Alan Gow to try to drag us back into it, a mazy run down the left wing saw Gow facing Ferguson on the bye-line but the goalie bravely save at his feet, a burst head and a ‘Rab C. Nisbet’ style bandage was his reward.

Airdrie came out after the interval with all guns blazing. Within minutes of the restart Alan Gow cut in from the right touchline beating four or five players before clipping a shot from about 25 yards out that looked a certain goal but Ferguson pulled off a miraculous save, back peddling to claw the ball out from under the crossbar. Gow had served notice that Airdrie were going to claw level and it seemed likely at that point that we would not be going home empty handed this time. McLaren had been looking good from start to finish in this game and he had a few opportunities after beating Lawrie, but Ferguson had to be at his very best to save low at his right post to deny McLaren. Sandy Stewart finally replaced Roberts midway through the half with Vareille.

Gow had a superb chance to make the difference after breaking away from the halfway line. Marvyn Wilson in particular had made a lung bursting run in support but Gow was way too greedy by choosing to shoot, tamely, straight at Ferguson. Martin Hardie and McLaren had other chance before the end but time was starting to fizzle out. McLaren had one last go in the last minute by again taking on the Falkirk defence. He cut in from the wing and waltzed past last man Lawrie right on the edge of the box, only for Lawrie to hack him down in full flight. But Hardie’s driven free kick was headed clear by Kevin James to effectively end the contest.

It was a brave fight by Airdrie and Falkirk were clearly toiling in the end, I’m sure he won’t admit it, but Hughes must be relieved to have survived that one. Airdrie must learn from this display too. If we want to step up a level we need to sort out several areas of the pitch. We need a decent right back brought into the club at some point soon, and we really could do with an alternative on the right wing. I’m no fan of Roberts at all and I can’t believe that he’s a better alternative to Vareille, Docherty, Hoey, or by switching to 433 by bringing in Barkey or Dunn and going with McLaren through the middle in support of Coyle and Gow. Roberts occasionally looks a good player but these occasions are few and far between. On a more positive note our midfield duo of Marv and Hardie looked absolutely fantastic again, give or take a misplace pass here and there, Hardie’s fitness level had improved a lot since that miserable day down at Dumfries in November when we’d last tasted defeat. Apart from the greedy moment Gow, and McLaren, looked faster and more skilful than any other strikers in the league on this form and were both unlucky to be on the losing side.