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AS Airdrie 3-1 Hogganfield Thistle

AS Airdrie 3-1 Hogganfield Thistle

Airdrie lifted the first piece of silverware of the season with a 3-1 League Cup victory at Cumbernauld.

 

One change from last week saw the management make a tough call and Kenny Pardoe partnered Gray up front in place of the unlucky Grant

Rowan

Stewart Cooper Burton S.Graham

N.Pardoe Smith Edgar R.Graham

K.Pardoe Gray

 

The game started in a cautious fashion, Hogganfield with a few early corners but all dealt with by the Airdrie defence. Airdrie settled after a 15 minute spell and took the lead shortly after, Stewart sent Ross Graham down the right after a set play and his driven cross was met on the run by Cooper who’s unstoppable header left the keeper helpless. Airdrie suffered a blow when Stewart had to leave the play with an Achilles injury and Clark replaced him at the heart of the defence. Cooper made it two shortly after with a similar effort this time from Kenny Pardoe’s corner, Cooper himself challenged for a cross ball and won the corner however the linesman flagged for an alleged push on the defender this was over ruled quite correctly by the man in the middle much to Hogganfield’s annoyance, Kenny Pardoe swung the corner in away from the keeper and Cooper again met it on the run and powered the header into the net to give Airdrie a 2-0 lead at the break.

 

Hogganfield came out fired up in the second half and had lots of the ball without really testing Rowan in the Airdrie goal, what he did have to do he done with a safe pair of hands and as ever was backed up by a strong defence. Airdrie were getting up the park in patches and Gray won a free kick on the right hand side and from Kenny Pardoe’s resultant cross the ball was turned home by a defender to give Airdrie an unassailable lead. Grant replaced Kenny Pardoe for some fresh legs with 25 to go. Hogganfield threw everything they had at Airdrie but the Airdrie defence stood firm winning all the crosses and blocking all the shots. The clean sheet was tarnished however when Smith rashly challenged in the box and Hogganfield were awarded a penalty kick, which was dispatched well sending Rowan the wrong way. With 7 minutes left Capaldi replaced Ross Graham and Airdrie worked the clock down in Hogganfield’s half.

 

Scenes of joy followed at full time and captain Stuart Smith stepped up to collect the SSML League Cup for the first time. Man of the Match award went to Airdrie's Gordon Cooper

 

Back to league business this midweek with two games in 2 days being the unfortunate outcome of some diddy league being played on Thursday evening.

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