AIRDRIE UTD

Raith

In a match that was either going to be a whitewash or a dour struggle, Airdrie opened the game at whirlwind pace with Willie McLaren being played in at every opportunity. Only poor finishing and a blanket defence prevented any clear openings being made. Raith defended particularly deep relying on the pace of their raw kids to pose problems though it took them half an hour to muster any worthwhile attack. Owen Coyle seems to be struggling badly now after a demanding season and his luck didn’t take a turn for the better after a miserable miss when clean through in the first twenty minutes. His right-footed shot was rather easily blocked by Berthelot.

Airdrie took the lead midway through the half after a smartly taken short corner from McLaren found Gow. Gow’s cross was headed out to the edge of the box for the legendary predator Marvyn Wilson to control, lift over a defender’s head, then bullet his shot goalward with the aid of a slight deflection to deservedly open the scoring. Airdrie being Airdrie though let Raith back into the game shortly afterwards. Promising left wing back Tulloch outfoxed Mark Roberts, held off Stephen McKenna, to get on the end of a long cross ball and stick past Mark McGeown. A bit against the run of play, but no more than Airdrie deserved for failing to kill off rovers when they had the chance. Martin Hardie suffered a ‘dead leg’ injury in the build up to the goal and was replaced by David Dunn.

Dunn’s first real involvement was to provide a slide rule pass through to Owen Coyle. The veteran seemed a stick on to score this time again but he agonisingly telegraphed his weak shot for Berthelot to make the save. It could have been two nil or at worst two – one at the interval but instead it was still level.

Airdrie stepped up the pace again after the break but still couldn’t get into it. Up front Gow was the focal point of all our attacks. He’s carrying the can almost single-handedly these days. McLaren’s being well policed on the wings and isn’t getting to use his pace in the danger areas. Coyle is fading badly. His inability to hold up the ball breaking down too many attacks and is a root cause of our poor play at times. Roberts has improved a little in recent months but he’s still not a major contributor. Changes were needed. Vareille replaced Roberts after about 10 minutes of the half but offered little more than his former Kilmarnock team-mate. The real question was whether Sandy Stewart would have the inclination to make a public sacrifice of his old mate? Raith looked ever more dangerous in attack – John Martin replaced the injured Tulloch at half time with Crabbe moving to midfield – with young no. 10 Pat Clarke looking a fine prospect – outjumping, outpacing and out thinking our defence on numerous occasions. It was no surprise that with twenty minutes left another broken down attack signalled the end of Coyle’s afternoon to be replaced by a once promising kid whose miserable 2004 ended with a barren run culminated by an open goal miss at McDairmid park in November. We know that despite his lack of pace McKeown can hold the ball up, but could he fill Coyle’s boots?

It didn’t take long to answer that one. Despite looking sluggish after a back injury, Dosser took the game by the scruff of the neck. We certainly looked a different side in the last twenty minutes and several McKeown efforts later he won a corner with only about three minutes left. McLaren swung over the corner and McKeown bulleted the header past Berthelot. Fittingly it was McKeown who brought the game to a close by wisely hoarding the ball at the corner flag.

A gratefully received three points that took Airdrie third in the table but overall a poor performance. Sandy Stewart’s late substitution made a huge difference and credit must go to the manager for being so brave. It can’t be easy hooking your assistant, a legendary player too who, despite a couple of earlier misses, may still be your main goal threat. But fortune favoured the brave on this occasion, and it may have given more of an insight into the main changes that need to take place in the close season.