AIRDRIE (343):

Airdrie certainly started the game looking like a supremely confident team that were really going places. The midfield of Wilson and Docherty, dominating the midfield against a pair of terriers in yellow and black, allowed the front three of Airdrie's to pressure the Berwick backline for the first half hour almost incessantly. David McGuire was tormenting former Jambo, Murie, at will and Stevie McKeown was tormenting Eddie Forrest any time the ball came near him. The first goal on the quarter hour mark came from that combination. McKeown chased down what looked like a lost cause in the middle of the park and pushed the ball wide left to David McGuire. McGuire took on Murie cutting inside and drove into the penalty area before slipping the ball to McKeown. McKeown took a touch to steady himself before shooting by the Berwick keeper but uncharacteristically mishit, instead taking a divot out of the turf. The goalie saved the divot and the ball trundled over the line from around 15 yards. A bit of a duffer after such a fine move but try wiping the smile off Dosser's face after his sixth of the season from only three starts. Vareille then got in on the act about five minutes later after a long goal kick from Mark McGeown was flicked on by McKeown. Vareille outpaced the defence and smashed home a fierce drive. Just like McKeown a few minutes later the big Frenchie celebrated in fine style in front of the jubilant travelling support.

Two nil up an looking like world beaters it should have been a case of shutting up shop and grabbing the third goal to kill off the tie. At two up after half an hour you know that losing one goal can set up a nervy closing spell but unfortunately circumstances dealt us some heavy blows. Firstly Stevie McKeown took a hefty knock just after the second goal. He was caught late, high up on his thigh, after about half an hour and this knocked the stuffing out of him. Try as his could he never got in the game again. Simon Vella meanwhile could and should have scored the goal of the season with an innovative free kick. From about 30 yards out he and Marv looked like they were lining up a Hamman like rasper but instead thumped the ball out wide to the unmarked Willie Wilson on the right touchline. Vella raced into the box to get on the end of the cross but narrowly bundle the ball home. Worse though followed when Stephen Docherty took an ankle knock right on half time that would change the course of the game.

Docherty tried to restart the game after treatment but clearly wasn't right. My worst fears justified as Paul Harvey replaced him in the midfield boiler room. David McGuire had an excellent run at the Berwick defence and took a tumble just inside the box. I was screaming for a penalty and felt that the referee's refusal was unjust. For me McGuire was bodychecked as he crossed the defender's path. As some say though, McGuire is becoming his own worst enemy at time, but there have definitely been softer decisions given. Within minutes though Berwick had pulled on back. Gary Wood nicked in front of a static Simon Vella to nod home a Tony Smith cross. Vella may have been unsighed by his own defender just in front of him but it did look like poor defending. Moments later McGuire was, in my opinion, fouled by Murie in front of the Berwick fans wide on the left. Instead of getting the free kick, McGuire was booked for diving. Again from my position it looked like McGuire was really thumped but it's now becoming almost a joke trying to fathom some of the decisions. From the resulting free kick by Murie, Alex Burke picked up the ball in the midfield and slotted a through ball into our penalty area, where our three defenders were caught napping, and Wood buried an easy chance by McGeown.

McGuire had a couple of decent chances to regain the lead as did Vareille but Airdrie were starting to look dire. The midfield battle was over as Harv and Marv started getting the runaround particularly Harvey who just couldn't get a tackle in. Defensively Brannigan and Willie Weaklink couldn't play the ball forward, Brannigan just being Brannigan and Wilson panicking every time he got the ball. Airdrie did have a late revival and could have stole all three points in the dying seconds as Paul Armstrong had a rocket headed off the line.

All in all four points from two away games wasn't bad going but Sandy Stewart will surely look at this game as two points dropped. The failure to protect a two goal lead will hurt his pride no end and he'll be desperate to get Docherty back for the next game.