By Neil Brown
September 12 2007

AS Airdrie 4-0 Greenbank

Airdrie made it Two home wins on the trot with a comfartable win over there visitors who could only muster ten men for the trip. It's an old cliche but sometimes it is more difficult to play against ten men than eleven however for Airdrie, who had around 90% of the possesion, the hurdle was overcome.

Scott Graham and Andy Edgar came in for Capaldi and K.Pardoe which meant a switch of wings for Neil Pardoe and a centre midfield spot for Ross Graham whilst Clark moved back up front with Gray.

Rowan

Stewart Cooper Burton

S.Graham Smith R.Graham Edgar N.Pardoe

Gray Clark

Airdrie did find the game difficult at the start as Greenbank chased and harried to make up for the loss of a man, with a packed defence Airdrie tried to go over the shoulder of the last man and Gray got away on a couple of occasions however could not make the most of the chances. It took Airdrie 20 minutes to get the opener from a long Ross Graham throw which was met with typicall fashion by Cooper to put the homeside 1-0 up. This settled Airdrie and the frantioc passing of the first tewnty minutes disappeared however Greenbank were still defending stubbornly. As the game drifted towards half time Airdrie effectively killed the game when great play from Neil Pardoe saw him inside the box and layed a pass on for Clark to hammer the ball into the keepers right for a half time two goal advantage.

The second half started much like the first with plenty of possesion but still Airdrie found it hard to break down the ten men. With this in mind Airdrie made there first change and introduced Kenny Pardoe to the action in place of Ross Graham. Airdrie continued to have the possesion and crafted a few chances for themselves, Gray broke from halway drove towards goal rounded the keeper then blasted the ball high wide and not very handsome!. Neil Grant Replaced Neil Pardoe and MacFarlane replaced Stewart in the back three. Greenbanks keeper was beginning to be tested now as the ten men started to tire and fine stops from Clark and K.Pardoe headers kept the score at two. Airdrie finally put the game to bed when a good passing move released Grant on the left and as he bore down on goal the keeper made a good block however Grant got the break of the ball and squared for gray who's goalbound effort was palmed away by the Greenbank defender, Straight Red and a penalty kick which Kenny duly despatched with ease. With nine men Greenbank just sat in trying to keep possesion and fair play to them for plugging away. Clark nabbed his second of the game late on when he met K.Pardoe's pinpoint cross to bullet home  a header from 5 yards.

Three points and a clean sheet makes for happy reading and although the performance wasn't without fault the team still worked extremely hard to get the win under difficult circumstances.