By Chris Mac
February 20 2005

Super Sub Stephen McKeown bags all three points and keeps the Diamonds on target for survival in the first division and a magnificent 3rd in the league.

As the Broomfield Stomp predicted this was not the walk over many fans were forecasting Raith Rovers have now put together a bunch of boys that are playing for a position in the Raith squad for next season and on this showing many will take heart.

 

Airdrie started the game quickly and with in the opening fives minutes could have scored with a Alan Gow run in to the box, but as is the norm with Airdrie we are to busy trying to walk the ball in to the net and the move fell apart with some last minute defending from Raith. All the pressure was Airdrie now and it looked as though our main tactic was to break Raith Rovers early and then pile on the pressure.

 

I wasn’t meant to be and as attack after attack fell apart, so Raith Rovers confidence was growing. It took until the twenty seventh minute for Airdrie to find an opening. Marvyn Wilson, the goal scoring machine, received the ball on the edge of the Raith box, he brought it down with his right foot turned on to his left foot and shot, a slight deflection from a defender and Airdrie were one-nil up. Simple stuff, a direct shot at goal and we are away. Do Airdrie learn from this, no, we revert back to trying to tap it in to the back of the net? Owen Coyle one on one with the keeper tries to casually swing the ball around the keeper and Bertholot pulls of a good save to keep Raith in the game.

 

Now Airdrie are comfortable and more or less cruising, Raith Rovers have not had a clear shot at goal but are now getting more of the possession as it looks like the Airdrie players are content to hold a one-nil lead. Would it surprise you than that Raith Rovers on the thirty seventh minute equalised? No, of course not! A long speculative ball from the Raith Rovers defence found Stephen Tulloch running free of his marker Mark Roberts and once again Airdrie have to do things the hard way.

 

Martin Hardie had to be substituted late in the first half an earlier tackle, seemed to damage his thigh and it didn’t look like he was recovering from it. David Dunn was brought on to replace him. Owen Coyle could have scored late on to allow Airdrie a half time reprieve and go in with a one goal lead, but yet again Bertholot was up to the challenge as Coyle fired the ball too close to the keeper.

 

Airdrie:

McGeown,

McKenna, McGowan, McManus, Lovering,

Roberts (Varielle 55) , Hardie (Dunn 40), Marvyn Wilson, McLaren.

Coyle (McKeown 72), Gow,

 

 

Everyone was complaining that last weeks game against Partick Thistle was cold, well maybe I’m getting old but yesterday was absolutely freezing and the game on the park was not helping to warm us up. New Broomfield (Excelsior Stadium) was like a morgue. I think I heard the Raith fans squeaking in the corner and there was maybe a chant from the Airdrie fans but some thing really has to be done to get some life in to the ground. It didn’t help when at the beginning of break we were told, for the second home game in a row, that the pie stalls were out of hot food??

 

The exciting moments of the second half were few, Mark Roberts was replaced by Jerome Varielle early on and Airdrie continued to cross high balls in to Alan Gow and Owen Coyle. I can’t remember either winning a header in the full game. Willie McLaren on the left was trying his tricks but the defender Ouattara and cottoned on to him and was ushering him out of the game. David Dunn in midfield was playing well and in a long run from the half way line had the opportunity to hit a hot, but again failed to trouble the keeper. Both teams tried to attack and as Airdrie began to push forward we were leaving space at the back. Opportunities were coming for both teams but nothing clear cut. Airdrie made our last substitution Stephen McKeown was brought on to replace Owen Coyle and the game went on as before. Would it surprise you that even after our last substitution some Airdrie Fan@@ still shouted out for Sandy to change it?? The only booking of the game went to Ouattara who was booked for a deliberate hand ball, the ref allowed us advantage after it but the play broke down.

 

It took until the eighty sixth minute for either team to score again, Willie McLaren sent in a corner that super sub Stephen McKeown headed in to the back of the net. In some suicidal moments Mark McGeown had to pull of another of his last second saves to help consolidate the lead. In the final moments of the game Stephen McKeown using an old head took the ball in to the corner and held it there to run the clock down.

 

McGeown	Had no chance with the Raith goal and kept us in the lead late on. Otherwise not a lot to do.	6/10
McKenna	The youngster did every thing that was asked of him and looked comfortable.	6/10
McManus	Not really put under any pressure, worked hard and controlled the defence.	6/10
McGowan	Again not really tested through out the game but when called in to action did what had to be done.	6/10
Lovering	Looked comfortable and not tested	6/10
Roberts	Didn't look up for it today and after some decent performances disappointing, lost his man for the Raith goal	5/10
M. Wilson	Looked comfortable, got some abuse for playing defensively but when your forwards are not competing what else can you do. Took his goal well and deserved it.	8/10
Hardie	Off injured early, but you don't realise how much work the big man puts in until he is gone.	6/10
McLaren	Up and down the wing as usual but his tricks were just not working.	6/10
Coyle	Missed two sitters in the first half and didn't do much in the second half	6/10
Gow	First 10-20 minutes looked dangerous but then disappeared.	6/10