Three points bagged in cross border raid

By Gordon Thomson
September 29 2003

Airdrie went to Berwick looking to pick themselves up after the disappointment of the midweek cup exit. Despite looking good enough to compete with first division clubs it was back to league business to realise that potential. Paul Smith's outfit are never easy though as it was to prove again.

Airdrie were missing the suspended David Dunn after his midweek misdemeanours so Felician Singbo started for the first time in an otherwise unchanged team. Good news for the healthy, if inebriated, travelling support was the inclusion of Stevie McKeown, for the first time in a month, on the bench.

AIRDRIE UTD

McGeown
McManus, Stewart, McGowan
Docherty, M.Wilson, Singbo, W.Wilson
Roberts
Glancy & Gow.

Check out Bob Dalzell's photo gallery of the game. Remember his photos are copyright controlled.

Airdrie took a while to find their rythmn in this game and seemed to be missing the guile and drive of Dunn in the midfield. Not to be unfair to our new Benin International, Felician Singo, it was nothing to do with his contribution. The big African twice tested the Berwick keeper from distance and looked for the ball at every opportunity before seemingly running out of steam. Defensively the Diamonds seemed settled and composed but the rest of the team took a while to settle mainly thanks to the ferociously crisp Berwick tackling and closing down. The English side as a whole reminded me of the way their gaffer Paul Smith played in his time at Dunfermline - uncompromising and tireless.

Gow and Glancy up front weren't short of effort and eventually they found their rythmn, both players displaying their customary trickery and endeavour. The goal arrived about ten minutes before half time. Glancy punished a slack passback that he should have had no right to make. He shot at the goalie then collected the rebound before cutting back to Mark Roberts. Roberts kind of flapped his shot tamely against the bar when it looked easier to score, but Gowser was on hand to slam in the rebound. Berwick did have chances either side of the goal but more down to our kamikaze moments. Firstly Doc could on another day have conceded a penalty when he got in a fankle, then McGowan misplaced a clearance (punt) that Gareth Hutchison just failed to stab into our net with McGeown stranded. In all though we were worth our half time lead.

Berwick came out fired up for the second half with a bit of fire in their bellies. A series of high balls into our box had us toiling and a Singbo tired the midfield collapsed. Despite all the pressure Airdrie did hold out, barely, till the cavalry arrived. Vareille replaced Singbo and Scott Wilson, long overdue albeit on the right wing, came on to shore things up. Indeed Vareille made a great chance, bursting through the otherwise resolute Berwick defence from the halfway line only to be denied by a fantastic save by Godfrey. A brief cameo from Stevie McKeown was a late bright spot for the fans in a fraught second half.

A good result though the performance/spectacle was rather dire. The result lifts us to third in the table and looking menacing. Alarmingly a few of the players are right off form at present but the bench yesterday - Varielle, McKeown and Scott Wilson - should all be considered capable of starting for any team in this league.

McGeown Solid 7/10
McManus First half looked back to his reliable and solid old self. Second half he was bombarded and wilted a bit. 6/10
Stewart Streets ahead at times and kept his back line organised. 6/10
McGowan Apart from the brainstorm his usual ferocious old self. The leader. 7/10
Docherty I better watch what I'm saying coz I'm normally to hard on the skipper but today he had some quality and a couple of forgettable moments. Looked knackered with twenty to go. 6/10
Marvyn Wilson Had to really graft to keep the midfield from collapsing. One thing I notice all the time though is that he has a habit of looking to spring away on the counter when the defence needs him to be protecting them. And his passing.... 7/10
Singbo Started brightly. Very obviously he is from different style of football altogether. Very often looking for the ball only for it to be lowped over his head. But he did graft hard, athletically covering a heck of a lot of ground after foraging forward. And his keenness to shoot at any opportunity should see him get on the scoresheet. 6/10
W.Wilson Stuck on the left again but had a very quiet game. Struck the post in the first half too. Another inch inside and I'd have had to walk home. 5/10
Roberts Same old story. Some nice inventive touches but too often out of touch. 5/10
Glancy A quieter game by his recent standards but he still managed to make us a goal out of nothing. 6/10
Gow He has improved considerably in recent weeks, found it tough going today but found the required level by grafting. And another goal to boost his confidence further. 6/10
s. Varielle (70 minutes for Singbo) Unlucky not to score at the death. n/a
S.Wilson(81mins for Glancy) No surprise to the fans who'd been screaming for him, he won the only ball flung into the box when he was on the pitch. n/a
s. McKeown(89 minutes for Gow) He didn't get to do much but just good to see him back n/a

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