AIRDRIE UTD

Partick

Airdrie started the match full of confidence pushing Thistle onto the back foot. Prunty and Twigg both had early chances to put the diamonds in front, but Kenny Arthur did well to keep Thistle in it. Thistle were reduced to some pretty timid attempts that presented absolutely no threat to Robertson’s goal in those early stages. The game threatened to heat up when Kevin Christie was dreadfully late with a challenge on Graham Gibson about 15 yards inside the Thistle half. Fat Boab McCulloch led a charge to surround the ref demanding a sending off. Christie was rightly booked, along with Fat Boab, but when Lovering went one better and lunged two footed at a 50/50 ball with Sives in front of the baying Thistle fans, and with the same throng of players rushing the ref, the red card came straight out.

That ended Airdrie’s period of almost total domination but still Airdrie kept possession and created chances, but it didn’t take long for Thistle to capitalise. An inswinging corner was met at the near post by Mark Roberts to glance past Robertson. Roberts almost incited a riot by deliberately taunting the Airdrie fans and must surely be reprimanded by the games authorities. The goal itself was preventable and Gary Twigg was easily shrugged off by the scorer. It didn’t take long either for the referee to award the home side a very soft looking penalty when a Thistle shot cannoned off the arm of Kevin Christie. Christie was completely helpless and made no play for the ball and can count himself harshly done by. Roberts reverted to type by lazily pushing the ball to Robertson’s left and the goalie guessed correctly. Ironically Roberts did not run towards the irate fans he mercilessly taunted a few minutes earlier.

At this point of the game it looked like Airdrie could hold out till half time if they kept the head. Thistle were no great shakes and Airdrie were creating chances. Gary Twigg had two very good chances to score in that first half after Lovering’s dismissal. Airdrie were essentially playing without a left back, the obvious looking replacement would have been the more mobile McGowan for Christie whose dearth of mobility was exposed by the additional space. However with McGowan coming back from injury that probably prevented Sandy Stewart from making a change too soon. Unfortunately, Christie made a terrible defensive error for the second, probably game killer, second goal. Under no pressure, big Christie’s misplaced pass out to the right wing was easily cut out by Thistle who countered at pace down the left flank when Graham Gibson crossed for the unmarked Donnelly to easily tap home. A real sucker punch goal that could have easily been prevented.

Never a team to say die, the Airdrieonians came out firing after the break and created a host of chances for Prunty, McLaren, Twigg (and his replacement McPhee). MacDougall really came into the game, and the midfield duo of McKeown and Holmes fought tooth and nail for every ball, but the all out attack left us open to the counter attack, and Thistle squeezed out a couple of too easy goals on the counter through Billy Gibson and a Darren Brady header (!?!?). The introduction of Brian McPhee early in the second half brought a fresh dynamic to Airdrie that struck a chord with the fans, as usual, and two late goals duly arrived. The hardworking team leader Prunty was pulled down the box allowing McKeown to reclaim his penalty taker crown, and sub Stuart Taylor finished the scoring near the end after battering his way into the box and scoring at the second attempt.

It was a difficult defeat to take but at least many underlying trends point to a brighter future. Lovering’s senseless sending off turned a game that was going in our favour. You’ve got to be able to rely on your players to keep themselves fit and out of trouble, and I can see no point in Lovering making that challenge and in the position that he made it in the Thistle half. Lovering will bounce back as he usually does but with a tiny squad we need him out on the field, not haunting the dressing room before he’s barely broken sweat. We created enough reasonable chances to outscore Thistle but Twigg and Prunty haven’t found their groove yet. Both guys are capable of getting a goal every two games and will sharpen up soon enough. McLaren was unlucky with a late effort too and the goals will definitely come from him too. MacDougall almost looked untouchable in that second half so the signs going forward are definitely there. We do however have a few issues at the back that need ironed out, as it looks like there is a 50/50 chance we’ll concede a goal every time the ball comes into our box. I liked the look of Smyth at right back and have no problem with him. McKenna looked very good in the centre of defence and must surely be due a good run there, but who partners him? I was hoping that we could stick a big man in there with him this season moving McGowan out to left back but I’m not sure we can afford to do that this year now if we keep losing goals at this rate. Maybe Teirney will be that man when he gets fit but we’ve not seen what he can really do yet. Christie I like but I only see him in a limited role to come in against big target men. Could Watson come in at right back and allow Smyth to partner McKenna in the centre? I don’t know what kind of suspension Lovering will serve but until than it looks like we need Neil McGowan to step up and lead our defence wherever he plays.