East Fife 3 – 3 Airdrie

I am confused! I left yesterday’s match proud and passionate for a team who had just earned themselves a draw against EAST FIFE? “But Airdrie are better than this?” says a small voice in my head........

Speaking to some fans before the game it was the general consensus that anything but an absolute hammering would be seen as a pass mark for our team of inexperienced lads, East Fife are no slouches and have had some good pre-season results. In the car a defeat by one goal would be seen as acceptable.

The Team Line Ups
Referee = Neil Watters
Assistants = Steve Pullar & Michael Taylor

East Fife                      Airdrie

Stewart Baillie 1. Mark Ridgers
Scott Durie 2. Jamie Bain
Michael Deland 3. Paul Lovering
David Muir 4. Euan Grant
Jonathan Smart  5. Scott Gibson
Stewart Murdoch 6. Kieran Stallard
Bobby Linn 7. Ryan McCord
Kurtis Byrne 8. Rhys Devlin
Steven Hislop 9. Scott Gemmel
Robert Sloan 10. Frazer Keast
Lloyd Young 11. Gary Muir

Subs
John Ovenstone 12. Ryan Wallace
Craig Johnstone 14. Tony Watt
Paul Tansey 15. Harry McGregor 
Stevie Crawford 16. Sean Burns
Michael Brown GK Gianluca Corvi

(I am learning who these guys are but for reference I am using bobdalzell photo gallery.)

First things first, there can be no comparison between this season’s team and last season’s team, measuring potential against experience (who let us down) is pointless and with this team we are going to have to take things one match at  time. Success and failure will be measured at the end of the season as usual but they need a chance on a week to week basis.

Frazer Kiest came in to the team on the right wing replacing Tony Watt who had lasted just over 30 minutes of the Albion Rovers game, Kiest returns to us after moving to Motherwell in the closed season and preferring the Airdrie setup.

Airdrie started well and in the opening minutes forced the East Fife goal keeper Stewart Baillie in to a save. From there on East Fife’s experience began to tell and they took control for periods of the first half, there opening goal came down the left hand side, Steve Hislop was left with and easy tap in after a defensive mistake.

Towards the end of the half Airdrie had the chance to equalise, Scott Gemmel during a run in to the East Fife penalty box, was brought down by the keeper? If Scott was heading towards goal I’m sure Baillie would have been sent off, instead a yellow card was produced. Gemmel’s penalty was saved by Baillie.

Five minutes after the restart Airdrie were back on level terms, Gemmel playing on the shoulder of the last defender got on the end of a Jamie Bain cross and slid the ball in to the corner of the net.

2 minutes later and another defensive mistake led to East Fife’s second goal, Lloyd Young the scorer. On 59 minutes the consensus among the fans was the game was all over when Robert Linn fired past Mark Ridgers to make it 3-1.

Jimmy Boyle decided it was time for changes and so the team shifted from a 4-5-1 to 4-4-2, Watt replaced Lovering and Wallace replaced Kiest. In my opinion we looked far more comfortable. Within minutes Airdrie were back in the game Euan Grant Scott Gibson rose up to meet a cross from Wallace and it flew in to the back of the net.

David Muir was controversially booked after a case of mistaken identity, we think! As Airdrie fans saw it Michael Deland handled the ball as last man but Muir was booked, we honestly couldn’t understand the ref’s thinking and of course it won’t be explained.

The next talking point came on 70 minutes, our third goal! Who scored it? Wallace fired in another cross that found Gemmel on the far post, his goal ward bound header was knocked over the line by Tony Watt, it’s a mute point of course both our strikers scoring is a bonus a point in the bag from our first game is a bonus.

Airdrie however didn’t simply stop playing we kept attacking for the winner on 90 minutes Watt was pulled down just outside the box by the unfortunate Muir; a second yellow card saw him heading to the changing rooms. We of course didn’t care!

The final whistle blew and the Airdrie fans left happy.

“But Airdrie are better than this?” says a small voice in my head........ “Shut the Fuck up" says’s another voice, "The boys done well and they deserve our support” was the retort.