AIRDRIE UTD

QOTS

FIRST HALFAirdrie had a good chance when Barkey pulled free in the inside right channel. He only caught up with the ball at too tight an angle but cleverly shot across the keeper and forced a rebound which either Prunty or Twigg could only force onto the post. That chance took a full 25 minutes and was the only decent effort we had in the first half. Queens had a chance later when Eddie Munster latched onto a head flick from a corner but Barkey popped up on our goal line to clear.

MATCH UP Airdrie flirted between 343 and 352 with McLaren often trying to push up against Queens’ two deep lines of 442. Apart from some clever movement from McLaughlin and left winger Gibson Queens provided very little attacking threat. Airdrie however were simply bereft of ideas to get behind Queens’ deep lying defence. Frustratingly I thought that our best chance of opening them up would be Stephen MacDougall on the right wing, but the classy kid didn’t get a minute of action. Airdrie forwards Prunty and Twigg were absolutely starved of service. One man who couldn’t claim to be bored was Queens’ stopper Jim Thomson.

SECOND HALF15 minutes into the second half McManus foolishly hauled back Brian McLaughlin near the halfway line. The little Munster kid could hardly be thought to be bearing down on goal so far away and close to the touchline, but incredibly ref Ian Brines brandished a straight red card! Ironically he signalled for an elbow on McGowan later in the half but only administered a yellow. Barkey was fouled sparking a mass brawl near the end and still Brines failed to even dip into his pocket on that occasion. Brian McPhee made an opening in the Queens box but incredibly selected his sand-wedge instead of the driver when a goal looked ominous. Burns late goal was a slap in the mouth for our fans and the look of horror on the players face said it all

SUMMARYA bitterly disappointing result for Sandy Stewart that will surely be responsible for a season’s low attendance for our home game with Stranraer. A few things we lacked during the game? No real dribblers, too few passes behind their defence and a lack of shots at goal from any distance. We were poor and ran the risk of losing that late goal.

GOING FORWARD I feel that we’ve lost our shape and dynamic that was evident during our early season revival. I’d love to see us going back to a 442 formation again relying on both our young wingers, McKeown’s passing ability in an attacking midfield role complimented by his mate Barkey in the holding role. We need to create more chances for our strikers, today simply wasn’t good enough.