Blochairn Star 3-2 AS Airdrie

By Neil Brown
May 26 2007

Blochairn Star 3-2 AS Airdrie

 

Hendrie

S.Graham Burton Cooper R.Graham

N.Pardoe Edgar K.Pardoe Khorasani

Gray Clark

Airdrie fought back from two goals down in the second half to level the game before losing a soft goal to hand the Champions another victory.

Blochairn dominated the first half but only had two goals to show for the efforts, Airdrie struggled to live with the tempo the league winners set throughout the first half  but thigs could have been different had gray taken an early chance but his attempted lob over the keeper went wildly over the bar. neil Pardoe had two headed attempts in the first half but got under the ball on both occasions. Blochairn's goals came from slack marking to allow stars #7 two headed goals the first from a cross down our left and the second a long through ball which the scorer did well on both occasions to steer his attempts past hendrie and into the Net.

Airdrie made a slight change by moving Clark back to midfield and pushing K.Pardoe up front beside Gray. Clarks presence in midfield made a difference straight away and Airdrie began to beleive in themselves again. A quick free kick by Scott Graham found Kenny Pardoe with time and space down the right and from his cross cooper powered a header down low into the bottom of the corner to half the deficit. Blochairn looked a little ragged after this and Airdrie equalised when Gray outpaced his marker from the halfway line and crossed a low ball for kenny who's first effort was blocked but he got his 18th of the season from the rebound as he hammered the ball high into the net from 6 yards. after this Airdrie tired as they had put a huge effort in to get back on level terms, this let Blochairn back into the game and as play swung from end to end it was Blochairn who got the slice of luck as hendrie came out to claim a high ball under pressure from 3 Blochairn players the keeper made his catch but as he landed collided with the forward and the ball broke free and trickled over the line. Airdrie almost hit back when good play from Clark and pardoe found edgar bursting through from midfield but Blochairs full back came across to block and Edgar had to check his run but still managed to get an effort in which just went past the post. Airdrie could and should have had a leveller though as twice they found themselves one on one with Star's keeper who produced good blocks firstly from Kenny Pardoe and then late on from Andy Clark. Ross Hendrie produced 3 superb stops in the last ten minutes to prevent further damage, however airdrie couldn't find the finish to tie the game up. Macfarlane replaced Khorasani with little over ten minutes left as Airdrie's only sub which perhaps cost us on the day as there was some tired players out there at the end after the great second half effort.

Credit go's to Blochairn who are worthy champions this year, we hope to give them a challenge next season and after the midweek game V windlaw the boys will have a well deserved rest. As a club we have to be happy with the progress over the last two years since promotion and hope to keep it going.