Airdrie (2) Vs Beith (2)

Jimmy Boyle and Airdrie United played their get out of jail card after “The Mighty” Beith came close, very close, to knocking the Diamonds out of the Scottish Cup.

Yesterday we saw a good old fashioned cup match; it used to be that Airdrie took on the bigger teams and gave those teams’ scares, now with the inclusion of junior teams in the Scottish Cup we are the scalps and Bieth almost took us home as trophies.

Airdrie Utd: Vs. Beith:
Ridgers, Vs. Robertson,
Bain, Vs. Mcshane,
Forrest, Vs. McCulloch,
Gibson, Vs. Sheridan,
Lovering, Vs. Staunton,
Johnston (Sally 62), Vs. McKeown,
Devlin, Vs. Bradley,
Stevenson, Vs. McGarvey (Spence 73),
Muir (Watt 46), Vs. Stewart (O'Keane 60),
Wallace, Vs. Reid (Carrouth 79),
Craig (Donnelly 72). Vs. McLean.

Subs Not Used:
Szpilcynski, Vs. Ross,
Grant. Vs. Craig.

Jimmy had decided to liven things up and play a more attacking formation; Chris Craig and Gary Muir would lead the charge. Airdrie started the game well, in the opening twenty or so minutes we took the game to Bieth and it looked as if it would only be a matter of time before we scored. When the goal didn’t come we ran out of ideas very quickly and resorted to long shots from outside the penalty box, that’s not a complaint it’s just that the shots were coming from one person and usually too far out to make a difference. The rest of the team seemed happy to tippy tap the ball around and try and walk the ball in to the net.

As the ideas dried up our midfield went AWOL. This allowed Beith in to the game and from here on in Beith were more composed and it was this composer that led to the opening goal. Some well worked play through the centre of the park left Beiths Brian McKeown with a simple shot that left the Airdrie fans frustrated and Beith one goal to the good. The first half continued with Airdrie unable to maintain possession or losing possession too easily in front of goal, Beith on the other hand made themselves some chances and Ridgers was the busier of the two goal keepers.

It was a theme that was to continue in to the second half, Airdrie when in possession either gave the ball away with poor passing or poor choice of passes, slipped and fell loosing the ball and offered nothing in front of goal, even the change of Tony Watt for Gary Muir at half time made very little difference to the proceedings.

Beith’s second goal came when our defence was caught in no man’s land. With Airdrie on the attack we once again lost the ball! A well placed pass between the defence and goalkeeper saw Bieths Kenneth Mclean break the offside trap and raced on to the ball, Ridgers wasn’t quick enough of the line and McLean fired the ball low into the back of the net. 63 minutes gone Beith 2-0 up and the Airdrie fans were baying for blood.

The game was over I was depressed and to be honest I could see Beith scoring again, they soaked up our attacks and broke quickly when on the ball and I couldn’t see a way back in to the match.

Now we all know how one decision can change a match, well Saturday was to be no different. Jimmy Boyle had changed the formation from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 and Paul Lovering was pushing up the field he knocked the ball too far in front of himself and Beith player Mark McShane made a rash decision that would cost his team dearly. As the ball was running up the line and eventually out of play McShane slid in and missed the ball, Lovering leaped over the outstretched legs and came down heavily. From my perspective, McShane was late and his studs were showing, Lovering leapt over McShane but made no appeal for a foul or even for a free kick, there was no contact and referee Colvin’s straight red card may be judged as harsh. The funny side of things it sent the Beith bench over the edge and there hysterics were a joy to behold.

If that decision was harsh then the goal that came from the free kick must have really........ Annoyed them. Jamie Stevenson fired in a free kick and Lovering got a glancing header on the ball to make it 1 – 2.

Airdrie then threw everything we had at Beith so much so we were now playing a 3-5-2 formation but even that wasn’t enough to break down the stalwart Beith in 90 minutes. Deep in to stoppage time a last ditch strike from Jamie Bain was deflected in to the back of the net to make it 2-2.

Snatching a draw in the face of defeat sometimes seems like a victory, we didn’t deserve anything from the game. Having a second chance at staying in the cup is nothing more than a bonus that we need to take advantage of.