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Airdrie
United Football Club News
Season 2005/2006
Raith Rovers 1 Vs. 2 Airdrie United
8th of August 2006
Excelsior Stadium
Airdrie
United Lined up
Robertson |
|
Smyth |
Christie |
McKenna |
Lovering |
|
McDougall(87) |
Holmes |
McKeown |
McDougall |
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Prunty
|
Twigg(76) |
Subs:
-
Taylor (87)
Watson
McPhee (76)
Tairney
Hollis
|
Bookings:
- Christie |
Airdrie
United travelled to Starks Park to take on Raith Rovers, in the
first round of the CIS Insurance cup.
The match was not with out its difficulties but our performance
warranted progressing in to the next round.
Airdrie United started the match slowly, but as the players found
their feet our passing game developed and we soon took control
of the match.
Sandy Stewart only made one change from Saturday's line up; the
change was positional rather than tactical. Mark Smyth and Stephen
McKenna switched places. Smyth played right back and McKenna central
defence.
Once we settled in to the match, we forced Raith Rovers to defend
and created seven or eight chances before our opponents managed
a single shot on goal. Willie McLaren had a shot come of the post.
Graeme Holmes had a shot saved by Michael Brown in the Rovers
goalmouth, as did Bryan Prunty, Stephen McKeown and Garry Twigg.
Michael Brown kept Raith in the game to such a degree that he
even managed to save a penalty, earned by Stephen McDougall, who
was brought down in the box, and taken by our usually unflappable
Stephen McKeown. McKeown shot hard and low to the keeper's right
hand side, but Brown had it covered and kept Raith Rovers in the
game.
Disaster struck on 40 minutes, very much against the run of play
Armand One struck a superb shot that gave Robertson no chance.
Airdrie United went in at half time 1 - 0 down, but certainly
not down and out, we were in this match and the score line flattered
Raith Rovers.
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With
the match going in our favour, even though the score line disagreed
there was no reason for Sandy to change the line up at half
time.
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Airdrie
United came off the blocks quickly and with only two minutes on
the clock, Willie McLaren struck to give us the equaliser. Graeme
Holmes sent a ball through the Raith Rovers defence that allowed
McLaren to shoot past the keeper and the much-deserved equaliser
was ours.
The match turned in to a mid-field battle and both teams had chances,
Graeme Holmes gave us a lot of composure in the middle of the
park and McKeown fought for every ball. McDougall ran and spun
the Raith defence repeatedly but we still could not break the
defence down. McLaren used his speed to our advantage but still
nothing.
Then on seventy-three minutes, Garry Twigg made a decisive tackle
just outside the Rovers penalty box. The ball broke to Graeme
Holmes who slid the ball in to Bryan Prunty. Bryan circled the
Brown in goals and slid the ball home from an acute angle. Making
it two assists for Holmes, Bryan Prunty had his first goal of
the season and a two - one lead for Airdrie United.
Airdrie United
could have scored again will Willie McLaren found himself in plenty
of space on the left, Holmes found McDougall and he sent a cross-field
ball in to McLaren's path. Unfortunately, Brown was up to the
task once again and the ball spun off him and out of play.
Raith Rovers were not out of the match yet and began battling
for everything, sitting in the away stand we could not tell whether
the Rovers fans had a legitimate claim for a hand ball in the
box ruled out, but their players didn't complain to much when
the referee gave a corner instead of a hand ball.
Most of the late pressure was generated by the home team towards
the end of the game, desperate for a late equaliser, but it was
not to be.
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Referee:
- C Thomson |
The
game ended Raith Rovers 1 Vs. 2 Airdrie United |
Photographs
Supplied by Robert
Dalzell |
The Airdrie
United Man of the Match was: - |
Sponsors
Man of the Match: - |
Attendance:
- 1260 |
Tonight
50/50 number was: - |
For past news Click
here
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