IFA League 9th November 2002 Central Park, Airdrie.

After a horrendous start to the day where the council decided to deem Calderbank unplayable yet fail to mention anything to us, it was a case of several frantic phone calls and journeys to find a playable pitch. It ended up a blessing in disguise as we ended up at the flat lush playing surface that is Central Park.....

The fannying about trying to get a pitch saw Dumbarton lose one of their players to food poisoning - strange but true - leaving them with only 10 players. Dougie ‘the Whale’ Salmond - sensing the chance of a full game - volunteered to don the yellow of the visitors, and would later score perhaps the most talked about goal of the game.

It was a much changed team from the one that had held on for a 8-7 victory in the previous game against Queen of the South, with Bryce, Brown, Hamilton, Morrison, Fisher and Beeby all back in the starting 11. The strengthening of the defence and the added speed in midfield and up front meant that the 1st half was all about how many Airdrie would get, with the result being 5, although it should have been more.

Mark Beeby weighed in with a 1st half hat-trick of close range efforts, and still had time to miss a couple of sitters. Chief sinner was Cook though, who despite bagging one, was having a terrible time in front of goal, doing all the hard work on several occasions yet always managing to send the ball everywhere but in the back of the net.

The last goal of the half came as result of some fine play on the left from Hamilton, dispossessing the Dumbarton left back before riding a late challenge and slotting the ball past the keeper. This, incidentally, was the first time he had rode anything for quite a while (boom boom).

The goalscorers were rewarded for their efforts by being taken off at half time in a Chelsea style squad utilisation. All except Cookie that is, who was obviously needing as much shooting practise as possible. And indeed things were to improve for him in the 2nd half as he completed his 2nd hat-trick in successive games and indeed was only denied from scoring more by some dodgy offside decisions from the referee.

Despite - or perhaps that should be because of - the 7 goal advantage, poor discipline amongst the goal hungry Airdrie team was leaving gaps at the back as the home centre halves decided that they were centre forwards. Against what was now an Airdrie strike partnership in the visitors ranks (Beavis and Salmond), Bryce was needed on 3 or 4 occasions to pull off saves, before Salmond eventually produced a goal with skill never seen from him since.......well, just skill never seen from him.

A change back to the tried and trusted 4-4-2 formation for the home team meant that this would be the last time that the visitors were seen as an attacking threat, and before the end of the match goals from Shanks and Big Tam (a belter of a 25 yard lob incidentally) saw the game finish in resounding 9-1 victory for the home side.

Notable mentions go to Beavis for his 1st half hat-trick and then going on Dumbarton’s team when they were struggling without moaning - ditto to Dougie for the same reason minus the 1st half hat-trick; The wee guy who was watching us and fell over all the bags when he stepped backwards; Alan Love for proving that only having one foot runs in the whole Love family; His big brother for his lung bursting runs.....(albeit following the passing Flute band before the game - nothing to do with mazy midfield runs); Jim Mackie - sponsored by Daz; Cookie for yet another hat-trick (although it should have been double that); Geoff the ref for the help in getting is a pitch at the last minute; and lastly Shanksy, for not paying. Again.

Team : Bryce; Wyatt; A.Love; Morrison; McMillan; Brown; Fisher; Shanks; Cook; N.Love; Fisher. Subs :- Mackie; Allsop.

Next Game :- Home to MISC Morton November 16th Rawyards.