As Airdrie lift the West End bar Summer Cup

By Neil Brown
July 17 2006

Airdrie got off to a flying start in the opening match against Glenavon, after a scoreless first fifteen minutes Airdrie rattled in 3 second half goals the first coming from Andy Edgar with a tap in from 3 yards out . Kenny Pardoe added a second when the keeper failed to hold the shot and the ball crept over the line for 2-0 Kenny made it 3 and the points safe with a trademark free kick.

The second match saw a coming together of the two supporters teams as the Allstars looked to overturn last years 2-1 loss to AUSFC. It wasn’t to be as the match ended all square with Murphy scoring from a direct free kick and John Rennick countered for Airdrie with a penalty.

With 4 points on the board Airdrie went in to match 3 confident of getting a result over last years winners Gartcairn, a tough match ended in stalemate a 0-0 draw keeping AS Airdrie at the top of the table.

The final match was simple for Airdrie a win would take the title and they went about trying to get that win straight from Kick off, almost all of the first fifteen minutes was played in the beCogent half and the pressure seemed to pay off when Capaldi broke through the middle but just took a heavy touch while bearing in on goal, moments later Capaldi got free down the right and his cross was met at the back post by Neil Pardoe who rattled home an excellent goal only for the referee to chop it off for offside!!!!!!!!! Airdrie did take a first half lead when Neil Pardoe headed in his brothers corner kick from the left and the lead should have been doubled when Kenny’s corner from the right crossed the goal line before being booted clear however the ref again denied Airdrie a goal incorrectly ruling the corner to have gone out of play before coming back in. beCogent rarely threatened throughout the match and Airdrie saw out the second half although Rick Love hit the bar with a looping header in the dying moments.

Captain Stuart Smith collected the shield from West End manager Scott Rae to add to Airdrie’s 2005 & 2006 P&B Trophy’s however this must go down as there finest hour a real team effort and more importantly bragging rights in the pub!!

Team

Burton
Capaldi
Cooper
Drummond
Edgar
R Graham
Gray
Johnstone
MacFarlane
Morrison
K Pardoe
N Pardoe
Rennick
Rowan
Smith
Shiell
Trench