Venue – Dalgety Bay Sports Centre

Date – Sunday 23 January 2010; Kick Off Time – 1:15pm

Match Report

Our Under 19s returned to league action this afternoon and had to come from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Dunfermline at Dalgety Bay Sports Centre.

First Half

Airdrie had the opening chance of the game on the 5th minute when they won a corner as from it Jonny Fisher crossed the ball into the box and Jamie Bain sent a header goalwards but it went just over the bar. Four minutes later our Under 19s were dealt a blow as top Goalscorer Ryan Donnelly was forced off after a clash of heads with Dunfermline captain Lee Graham and Luke Sinclair from our Under 17s came on.

It was Dunfermline who had the next and there first chance of the game on the 12th minute when Steven Leslie hit a shot but Andy Collier parried the ball away and the defence cleared the danger. Six minutes later Dunfermline were forced to make there first substitution as Lee Graham did not recover from the head knock earlier in the game and this meant Dean Elder came on for him.

On the 22nd minute Aiden Malone was yellow carded for diving for Airdrie despite it looking as if he had been taking out by Ryan Thomson and two minutes later Airdrie had there second chance of the game when they won a free kick about 30 yards from goal as from it Grant Easton crossed the ball to the back post and Paddy McCabe got onto the end of it with a shot but it went over the bar.

Dunfermline was to have the next seven chances and on the 32nd minute they had the first of these when Lewis Turner hit a shot from about 25 yards out but it went wide and a minute later Aaron Scott had a go from the top of the box but Andy Collier got down low to turn the ball around the post and the danger was cleared. Dunfermline continued to create chances and on the 34th minute Ryan Thomson hit a shot from inside the box but Andy Collier again made the save.

Andy Collier pulled off his best save of the game on the 36th minute as from a John McDonald cross into the box Steven Leslie got onto the end of it with a powerful header about ten yards from goal but Andy brilliantly turned the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner Lewis Turner crossed the ball into the box and Stewart Thomson flicked it onto Scott McIntosh at the back post but his header went wide. Then on the 38th minute Dean Elder had a go from inside the box but Andy Collier again made the save and three minutes after this an overhead kick shot from inside the box by Steven Leslie went wide.

With only two minutes of the half remaining Jonny Fisher had a chance for Airdrie when he hit a shot form about 30 yards out but it went flying over the bar. During stoppage time both teams had a chance and Dunfermline had the first during the first minute of it as from about 25 yards out Rees Smith hit a shot but Andy Collier made the save. Shortly after this Airdrie won a corner and from it the ball was crossed into the box and flicked on by Michael Hutchinson to Luke Sinclair but Luke’s header went over the bar and the teams headed into half time level.

Second Half

After a slow start to the second half Airdrie had the first chance of it on the 54th minute when Aiden Malone hit a shot from inside the box but it went wide. A minute later Dunfermline had there first chance when Lewis Turner hit a shot from about 20 yards out but Andy Collier made another good save. Shortly after this Jamie Bain ambitiously hit a shot from about 25 yards out but it went flying over the bar.

Airdrie almost took the lead on the 57th minute when they won a corner as from the ball was crossed into the near post and hit off Aiden Malone but it hit the post and Dunfermline cleared the danger. A minute later John McDonald had a go from about 20 yards out for Dunfermline but it went wide and on the 62nd minute they worked Andy Collier again as from inside the box they hit a shot but Andy again made the save.

On the 64th minute Dunfermline took the lead as from about 30 yards out John McDonald unleashed a shot which went flying into the top corner of the net to give Andy Collier no chance and make it 1-0. Before the next chance Airdrie made there final two substitutions as Ally Morgan and Drew Ramsay came on for Grant Easton and David Cane and it was Ally who had the next chance on the 77th minute when he hit a shot from about 20 yards out but it went wide.

With only three minutes of the game remaining a dangerous cross come shot by Paul Byrne was scrambled behind by Dunfermline goalkeeper Craig Bald and from the resultant corner Ally Morgan sent a terrific cross into the box which Michael Hutchinson got onto the end of with a powerful header and it went flying into the net to ensure the Young Diamonds earned a hard fought point.

Team

1 – Andy Collier – Man of the Match, 2 – Jamie Bain, 3 – Graeme Goodall, 4 – Paul Byrne, 5 – David Cane, 6 – Paddy McCabe (Captain), 7 – Michael Hutchinson – 1 Goal, 8 – Jonny Fisher, 9 – Aiden Malone, 10 – Ryan Donnelly, 11 - Grant Easton

Subs – 12 – Drew Ramsay for 5 – David Cane, 14 – Ally Morgan for 11 – Grant Easton, 15 – Luke Sinclair for 10 – Ryan Donnelly