Airdrie United 1 Dunfermline 1
Saturday, 4th Apr 2009IRN BRU First Division: Pars late strike earns draw against Airdrie United in game of two halves
Dunfermline were without their captain Scott Wilson (knee injury), Greg Shields took his place. Steven Bell also returned to the starting eleven taking the place of Jamie Mole. The Pars bench was missing Scott Muirhead who had a calf injury but Rory Loy was back after his trip to Albania with the Scotland U21s. Kevin McDonald and Paul Di Giacomo returned for Airdrie United replacing Darren Smith and Simon Lynch.
The hosts kicked off but immediately the Pars had them under pressure. It was a soaring run from Calum Woods that created the early danger - just 65 seconds on the clock - when he centred from the right wing but David Graham was lacking the height to convert. Just a minute later Austin McCann delivered from the other side and Steven Bell`s attempt dropped over the bar.
Stephen McDougall mounted Airdrie`s first attack but Greg Shields ended that as the player was brought down. McDougal`s free kick tested the Fifers defence but it was Paul Di Giacomo who made Paul Gallacher make the first save of the afternoon with a sixth minute drive at the near post. McDougall then had an opportunity of his own but Shields blocked that just inside his own box.
In the tenth minute Woods tried to reproduce the goal that he scored here in the league earlier this season. A similar run cutting in from the right and a left footed shot from the edge of the box but Stephen Robertson held the dipping shot.
McDougall got to the byeline in 13 minutes and his cross put Gallacher under pressure to concede a corner. Stephen Glass was injured in a tackle that earned McDonald the first yellow card of the afternoon and the Pars captain was off the park for seven minutes having three stitches inserted in his right ankle.
Midway through the first half Graham Bayne laid the ball off to the right wing where Woods again took the ball on a journey, beating off McDougall`s challenge before crossing to the far post. Steven Bell leaned over McKenna and headed home from six yards but Charlie Richmond disallowed the `goal`.
In 33rd minute Steven Bell robbed the ball off left back Willie McLachlan but his shot was blasted narrowly wide and right. Two minutes later Glass switched a neat ball for Phinn to run on to in the right of the Airdrie box but his cross was sent wide as David Graham met it at the near post.
There was really only one team in the game and the Pars piled on the pressure as half time approached. Graham was dumped by Bobby Donnelly on the edge of the box but when Thomson struck the 40th minute free kick it came back off the defender on the penalty spot. Bell had a couple of chances, McCann pumped in a useful cross and Graham had his shot cleared by Marc Smyth.
On 45 minutes Stephen Glass almost turned the game with a fantastic strike from at least 30 yards but Robertson pulled off a save that was equally impressive to turn the ball around his post.
Half Time: Airdrie United 0 Dunfermline 0
The second half got underway with Phinn and Bayne taking the kick off but both sets of fans enjoyed the skills of the former St Johnstone goalkeeper who had to react to a short and high back pass. Robertson took the ball 20 yards out and used both his feet and his head in clearing the danger.
Gallacher`s skills at the other end were of a more conventional nature as he was required to dive to his right to stop Baird`s header on a McLachlan cross in 54 minutes. On the hour a Thomson free kick from his own half earned a corner but when Glass sent that over from the right it was overstruck and despite some show of skills from Calum Woods he could not deliver the telling cross.
Airdrie rallied and the ball pinged about the Pars box for a minute producing a corner that McKenna headed into Gallacher`s hands. He should have been tested again in 65 minutes but Donnelly`s knock down to McDougall could only be afforded a fresh air shot. McDonald did connect with a Baird cross two minutes later but his attempt from the edge of the box went over the bar.
Graham fired a shot over the bar and McCann broke forward but his shot went wildly wide. Then in 76 minutes there was a real let off for the Pars as Airdrie`s sub Darren Smith made the byeline on the right to cut back an inviting ball for Simon Lynch but he scooped it over the bar from eight yards. Next Woods was forced to head behind and Airdrie were beginning to seriously worry the travelling support.
Jim McIntyre committed the remaining two subs, Rory Loy and Greg Ross taking over from David Graham and Steven Bell. Unfortunately that did not stem the flow towards the Pars goal and when Glass took down Lynch and conceded a free kick 28 yards out Airdrie`s sub Darren SMITH despatched the 83rd minute setpiece into the left of Gallacher`s net.
Kirk and Bayne were involved in a goalmouth scramble but Robertson held the latter`s shot. The sun broke through and it was the visitors it was shining on. It was the third minute of added time when McCann sent in a high diagonal ball. Against his better judgement, Stephen Robertson came out but was not tall enough and the ball dropped into the path of Greg ROSS who turned the ball into the net off his shoulder.
Three points would have taken Kenny Black`s men to within two points of eighth placed Queen of the South with five games remaining. Instead they lie on 33 points seven behind Dunfermline.
AIRDRIE UNITED: Stephen Robertson; Willie McLachlan, Marc Smyth, Kevin McDonald, David Nixon, Bobby Donnelly, Scott McLaughlan, Stephen McKenna, Paul Di Giacomo (Simon Lynch 68), John Baird (Kevin Watt 82), Steven McDougall (Darren Smith 68)SUBS NOT USED: Michael Brown, Lee Hollis (GK)
SCORERS: Smith (83)
YELLOW CARD: McDonald (15), Baird (42)
DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher; Calum Woods, Greg Shields, Scott Thomson, Austin McCann; Steven Bell (Greg Ross 79), Nick Phinn, Stephen Glass (c), Alex Burke (Andy Kirk 64); Graham Bayne, David Graham (Rory Loy 79)
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Willis, Greg Paterson (GK)
SCORERS: Ross (90+3)
YELLOW CARD: Glass (65)
REFEREE: Charlie Richmond
WEATHER: Cold, damp 6°C
ATTENDANCE 1136
NEXT MATCH: (away) First Division v St Johnstone
Tuesday 7th April 2009, kick off 7.45pm
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Preview Airdrie United
Wednesday, 1st Apr 2009Airdrie are seven points behind the Pars but they have taken nine points from the last six matches while the Pars have managed only four.
For the third time this season Dunfermline travel to face Airdrie United. Earlier 3-1 league win and 2-1 Scottish Cup win make the Pars favourites to defeat the second bottom. In all their guises Airdrie hold the advantage with 33 wins to Dunfermline`s 32.
|
Pars v Airdrie: The Full League Record | ||||||
|
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
|
At |
48 |
20 |
17 |
11 |
81 |
76 |
|
At Broomfield |
44 |
12 |
10 |
22 |
69 |
101 |
|
Division One (up to 1975) |
42 |
19 |
6 |
17 |
83 |
90 |
|
Division Two (up to 1975) |
12 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
24 |
42 |
|
Premier League (since 1975) |
4 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
|
First Division (since 1975) |
34 |
12 |
17 |
5 |
39 |
37 |
|
TOTALS |
92 |
32 |
27 |
33 |
150 |
177 |
Airdrie are seven points behind the Pars but they have taken nine points from the last six matches while the Pars have managed only four.
| Airdrie United | DDunfermlinene |
| Current League Position | |
| 9 | 2 |
| Last Six League Results | |
| WDDDWL | LLLWLD |
| League Points | |
| 32 | 39 |
| Goal Difference | |
| -10 | +4 |
| Home/Away Record | |
| P15, W6, D4, L5 | P14, W7, D2, L5 |
Airdrie have lost only once at home (2-1 to Partick Thistle) since Dunfermline were there in the Homecoming Scottish Cup.
Graeme Holmes celebrates early strike at Airdrie
| Recent Form this season - home / away | ||||||
| Airdrie United (home) |
|
Dunfermline (away) | ||||
| Queen of the South | W | 2-0 | Ross County | L | 1-2 | |
| Livingston | D | 4-4 | Clyde | W | 4-1 | |
| Clyde | W | 1-0 | Livingston | L | 2-4 | |
| Partick Thistle | L | 1-2 | Morton | L | 1-2 | |
| Dundee | W | 1-0 | Partick Thistle | W | 3-2 | |
| Morton | W | 1-0 | Dundee | L | 0-1 | |
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Dundee) Paul Gallacher; Calum Woods, Scott Thomson, Scott Wilson (c) (Greg Shields HT), Austin McCann; Jamie Mole (Andy Kirk 49), Nick Phinn, Stephen Glass, Alex Burke (Steven Bell 68); Graham Bayne, David Graham.
SUBS: Greg Paterson (GK), Scott Muirhead.
AIRDRIE UNITED (v St Johnstone): Stephen Robertson; Willie McLachlan, Marc Smyth, David Nixon (Stephen McGuire 79), Bobby Donnelly, Darren Smith (Kevin McDonald 70), Scott McLaughlin, Stephen McKenna, Simon Lynch (Kevin Watt 75), John Baird, Steven McDougall
SUBS NOT USED: Kevin Watt, Paul Lovering,Lee Hollis
Referee for the match will be Charlie Richmond.
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