AIRDRIE UTD

Both teams looked up for this crucial tie but it was Airdrie who threatened first thanks to a 20 yard rocket from Alan Gow. Gowser has blown hot and cold of late but he turned in a magnificent display against the bohemoth that is Stewart Greacan. Gowser has very obviously improved his workrate considerably in recent weeks thanks in no small part to his partnership with the effervescent Owen Coyle, 38 in July, who quite simply works his butt off closing down defenders and probing for openings. Morton played a typical John McCormack 352 formation. Greacan marked Gow, McGregor marked Coyle, Collins swept, Millar and Henderson marked McLaren and Vareille respectively. In midfield Morton had numerical advantage over Airdrie as Doc and Dunn battled against Walker and the Maisano brothers, and won. Up front the dangerous Alex Williams was partnered by Phil Cannie and both wee men chased and chased all night, but found themselves up against 'rocks' in McManus, McGowan and Lovering. Nothing much seemed to get by the Airdrie hardmen until Mr. Fleming took over ten minutes before half time. From our vantage point behind the Morton goal Alex Williams tried to go round the mad-dog, Neil McGowan. McGowan seemed to win the ball cleanly in a crunching tackle, but fair, that seemed to leave poor wee Williams in a heap. The physio, doctor and St. Johns ambulancemen were called on to assist the prone striker and John Maisano cracked home a sweet free kick from 20 yards by Mark McGeown, who was looking for the ball in the other side of the net!! Miraculously Lazarus Williams was soon bouncing back onto the park after being sprayed by some 'miracle' water and a pat on the back from former Airdrie 'player' John McCormack.

Airdrie probably felt hard done by. Earlier McLaren turned a right wing cross back across the face of goal when it looked easier to score, then moments later had a shot that beat Craig Coyle in the Morton goal only for Derek Collins to hook the ball off the line. On the down side Kevin Christie was guilty of a shocking attemped tackle, that could only be described as being like an attempted tree felling, that earned him a yellow card. Airdrie had played well. Jerome was a bit out of sorts and looked kind of one paced but was holding the ball up well. Doc and Dunn were in a ferocious midfield battle with Dunn in particular looking the part. His constant tackling, passing, perpetual motion and general commitment were and inspiration. McLaren was having a quiet one by recent standards but was still causing some damage.

After the break Airdrie continued to batter away at Morton and eventually got the break when McLaren was upended in the box after another neat run inside. Gow kept his nerve to calmly send Coyle the wrong way to equalise. Then the inevitable happened. Christie, lucky to finish Saturday's game, was cruelly manipulated by John Maisano to earn a second booking. Maisano quite easily 'skinned' Christie down their left flank. Christie, who'd pulled out of most challenges since his booking, threw his hands up, tried to step back, but Maisano had done enough to ensure contact was made. In my opinion he deliberately threw himself at the hapless Christie but, with Fleming doing his best to play to the home crowd, he had to go. Rather than attempt to hold out Airdrie still went at Morton and, surprisingly, finished the game stronger.

A powerful, but eventually unproductive, display from Airdrie that went part of the way to avenging the last display against Morton. Sandy Stewart was aggrieved at the free kick decision and sending off, whilst 'Cowboy' claimed three of his players weren't trying hard enough! Christie was the only blip on the night, and the measure of the game was probably borne out in the number of chances created. Apart from the free kick, Mark McGeown had relatively little to do, thanks mainly to some colossol displays from front to back.