Dumbarton (1) v. Airdrie (2) - 27/3/04

AIRDRIE UTD

Not quite the pace of the second half against Forfar as Airdrie found Dumbarton’s capable defence a considerably tougher nut to crack. Marshalled by the excellent Neil Collins and aided by ‘Offside’ favourite Jamie McKinstry, Airdrie’s strike-force of Gow and Coyle struggled to dominate Dumbarton as much as they’d like. However Airdrie did take an early lead as Dunn’s left wing cross somehow evaded everyone in the middle and trundled out to Martin Glancy on the edge of the 18 yard box, who took great delight in scoring with a left foot drive against his former club. Another ex. Dumbarton player, Owen Coyle, had a great chance to double the lead moments later but he handled before firing the ball into the net. A dour midfield battle followed before Airdrie gifted Dumbarton an equaliser on the half hour mark. A right wing cross wasn’t cleared, communication between goalie and defence looked either nonexistent or too complicated, leaving McGeown desperately groping for the ball and spilling it for Dumbarton no. 9, Herd, to accept the gift.

Airdrie bounced back and finally took control of the game. A ferocious shot from Dunn was turned round the post by Grindlay in the Dumbarton goal, then a 30 yard rocket from Docherty thundered off the crossbar. Overall the first half was a bit of a disappointment as Airdrie lost a lot of ‘second balls’ and just didn’t seem to click. McLaren was living off scraps and Gow as in and out of the game. Defensively, Airdrie were pretty solid as usual, though Ian McMillan’s nephew, blond haired no. 10 Ian Russell, seemed to have rubber limbs that caused him to fall over at the slightest touch. You could hardly blame him for trying it on though as the bampot of a referee, Craig Thomson, seemed to give him every decision. Alan McManus eventually had a word with the ref about it. Sandy Steward had his obligatory talking to as well for prostesting after McLaren was booked for kicking the ball away in disgust after he cleanly dispossessed that numpty Craig McEwan.

Airdrie started the second half with a touch more purpose, and Willie McLaren, as usual, turned on the style in front of the fans. McLaren had a good chance to put us back in the lead when he was threaded though the defence but blazed his shot over the bar when you’d have bet on him scoring. Any watching scouts at that point may have packed up but he was soon back in the thick of it when he got on the ball deep in his own half and proceeded to leave the Dumbarton team reeling in his wake. When approaching the Dumbarton penalty area though he had Coyle peeling off to his right, and Gow to the left. Instead he tamely shot straight to the goalie and got an almighty rollicking from Coyle. It wasn’t to be long before our shining light shone bright. Just after the hour mark Owen Coyle drifted wide left to pick up a pass out wide on the left touchline. McLaren started on a run inside him towards the inside left channel. Coyle held the ball off long enough to time his forward pass to perfection for the kid to spring the offside trap and leave Dumbarton for dead. McLaren gracefully glided unchallenged into the box and slid the ball past Grindlay for his sixth goal in the last six games, with at least four of them set up by Coyle. Dumbarton did have one other good chance to get back into the game as goalscorer Herd got in behind Airdrie’s defence only to be halted by Paul Lovering’s desperate last gasp tackle. McManus was booked for stupidly taking out a Dumbarton player when he over committed to a challenged in the centre circle.

Airdrie held out for the last half hour but had to cope with the threat of flying elbows and boots. Paul Ronald was sent off for elbowing Dunn. Ronald had been having as good a game against Dunn as we’ve seen since the revival, but whether it was deliberate or unfortunate, he caught him and had to go. I’d have said big Ronaldo was as honest a player as you’ll get and put it down to his ungainly style rather than malice. Worse was to come though. Airdrie had committed their last substitute, Willie Wilson came on for McLaren who’d taken an ankle knock, when Dumbarton sub, Laidler, cynically, and brutally, halved Kevin Christie in two. It was a dreadful, calculated effort to even the sides for the last few minutes and incredibly he was only yellow carded.