Airdrie (1) v. Hamilton (1) - 1/5/04 - Promotion

AIRDRIE UTD

A bumper crowd of almost three thousand turned up in anticipation of a celebration on a fine summer’s day at New Broomfield. With Sandy Stewart deciding to turn to his experienced campaigners there was a more familiar and solid look to the Airdrie side with Christie and McGowan adding some real bite to the defence. Dunn’s presence in the midfield added a very obvious difference in terms of production, but Dunn’s ring-rust after his injury lay-off was obvious as his passing and movement were not up to his previous standard, but as stated, you could see the difference he makes even when half-fit. Accies were battling hard to try to overcome Morton for the second promotion spot and proved up for the fight, literally at times. Left winger Cocoran, looking like a refugee from an early Supergrass video, hit Neil McGowan hard early on with a crunching late tackle, whilst veteran midfielder Jim Sherry attempted to take-out Willie McLaren a couple of times in the first half hour. McLaren almost gave Airdrie the lead in the first half as Coyle and Dunn combined to set up McLaren, on a trademark run infield (increasingly like Alan Lawrence used to), with a one on one attack on the Accies goal but, having beat the goalie, he could only watch in agony as his shot rebounded off the goalies left hand post. Minutes later Coyle’s snapshot from 12 yards cannoned off the other post as Airdrie turned the screw. However, ten minutes before the interval Jim Sherry again overstepped the boundaries of acceptability with a shocking two footed lunge high on McLaren’s legs. McLaren managed to partially ride the tackle to avoid injury but Sherry was shown a red card by the previously lenient ref, Tom Brown. Bear in mind the Sherry had come on in the previous game at Douglas Park with the intention of ‘doing’ Dunn.

Accies battled on gamely with ten men and had Airdrie on the back foot early in the second half with a deceptive cross come shot riding along the top of our crossbar from a tight angle. But with news of Morton’s latest capitulation at Dumbarton both teams were fired with enthusiasm to go for the win. Airdrie struck first with a fine effort from Alan Gow. Coyle held up the ball in the box, laid it off for McLaren who’d darted through the midfield but stumbled. The ball broke to Gow who then deceived a couple of Accies defenders, just off the left side of the six yard box, with a couple of mazy jinks, before slotting beyond the goalie. Gow and his team-mates knew that the title was theirs for the taking and celebrated like it was all over. Of course things are never that simple in any sport and just to prove that theory correct Brian McPhee decided to dampen the spirits slightly with a brilliant equaliser for Accies. McPhee took control of a long ball on the right wing, drove at Lovering and unleashed an unstoppable shot across McGeown’s goal. Typical McPhee, he looked like he couldn’t hit a “cow’s butt” for 80 minutes then buries the most difficult effort.

So promotion it is then. The title can wait for another week as what should have been a torrid fight for second place has turned into a seemingly effortless stroll for the title. Of course it has been nothing of the sort and the players and management took a well-deserved bow after the whistle. Promotion was the main aim and that has been achieved with two games to go. Well done to all the players, management and board on this achievement.