Subs:
-
12) Hardie(60)
13) McDougal(15)
14) Docherty(75)
15) Coyle
16) Robertson
|
Bookings:
- Yellow:- McLaren, Red:- Dunn |
|
Everyone
thought this would be a tough game for the Diamonds but I am sure
that when Brian Prunty arrived at the Excelsior Stadium this morning
he was thinking that he would be taken out of today's match by
the most cynical tackle we have saw this season.
In a game that both teams attempted to get the ball down and play
football, this match turned out to be more of a success for both
defences.
The main talking point of this match was the cynical tackle that
took Brian Prunty out of the game. After 15 minutes Brian received
the ball close to the centre circle as he set of an a mazy run,
a la Alan Gow, John Potter did what was expected of a central
defender. He stopped the run at all costs it is that simple. It
was cynical and the worst tackle seen this season but that's what
defenders do. Potter was the first booking of the match but he
would not be the last.
Brian Prunty had to be replaced a few minutes later by Steven
McDougal, which In turn moved Brian McPhee forward in to attack. |
Prunty
being cynically taken out of the game by John Potter
|
It took us a while to get used
to the new formation and we lost a little of the edge we had
early on. Kevin Barkey came close with a couple of long shots,
St Mirren keeper Chris Smith gave St Mirren a couple of scares
from cross balls but other than that it didn't look like either
team were going to score from open play.
Over the past week, there has been a lot of talk about refereeing
decisions and players' punishment but when games are a poorly
refereed as this match was it is difficult to have any sympathy
for the man with the whistle. There was no consistency and absolutely
no support from the lines man for the man in the middle of the
park so is it any wonder when things are missed or decision
challenged.
It was one such decision that was to help change the face of
game. Stephen McKeown tracking back in his defensive roll put
in a tackle that referee Underhill thought was foul. Underhill
then strangely indicated that the St Mirren player should get
up and that he had dived, he then continued to give our opponents
the free kick. The result, on loan Rangers mid-fielder Charlie
Adam steps up and hits a fantastic free kick that leaves Lee
Hollis with absolutely no chance.
|
|
It would be easy to blame Referee John Underhill for us loosing
the match today but we had our chances to get something out of
this game. It was not like last week where both teams had their
share of the play and could have won by two or three goals this
was a balancing act between a deserved draw for both teams and
an unlucky defeat for either. A missed penalty by Martin Hardie
late in the second or a well-saved penalty by Chris Smith (take
your pick) kept the game at 0-1.
Then close to the end of the match Mr Underhill sends off two
players, one for retaliation and one because the St Mirren players
hassled him in to it. David Dunn trying to track back in to defence
collided with Simon Lappin, both players went sprawling. This
was missed by the referee who had his back to play at the time.
As Underhill caught up with play, he spotted Lappin kicking out
at David Dunn. Red card for Lappin and deservedly so, the surprise
was when the St Mirren players managed to persuade Underhill that
Dunn had actually committed some kind of blatant foul. A red card
for David Dunn saw Sandy Stewart fuming on the sidelines. The
remainder of the game went by quickly and the final score remained
0-1 to St Mirren.
|
|
Referee:
-
J Underhill |
| The
game ended Airdrie United 0 V 1 St Mirren |
Photographs
Supplied by Robert
Dalzell |
The Airdrie
United Man of the Match was: - |
Sponsors
Man of the Match: - |
Attendance:
- 2073 |
| Tonight
50/50 number was: - |
