| Strathclyde Saturday Morning League Cup Final | |
| 28 April 2007 Guy's Meadow, Cumbernauld |
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| Windlaw | 1 |
| McKenna Penalties:Neeson, Carey, K.McCann, Kerr |
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| Airdrieonians | 1 |
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Martin Kerr’s first game officially in charge of Windlaw after Gary Wilson’s departure saw him make three changes to the starting line-up from last week’s victory over Forest with Allan Dougall, Colin Carmichael and David McGinlay replacing Wullie Wilson, Wullie Thornton and Kevin McCann. Danny McKenna moved into the wide left position and Allan Dougall was wide right. A special word of praise must go to the attitude and commitment shown by Wullie Wilson who unfortunately was left out of the final 16 alongside Alan Nugent. Wullie, along with Windlaw legends Jim Brennan and Martin Docherty travelled with the team and helped their preparations as much as possible before supporting the boys all the way. True Windlaw men who stood up to be counted. Conditions at Guys Meadow were sunny but cold and the setting is a good arena to stage a final. Unfortunately the same could not be said of a shocker of a pitch that was very bare and bumpy in patches and ultimately not conduisive to good passing. Windlaw attempted to try to snuff out Airdrieonians 6ft 4ins centre-forward Stephen Tarditi by putting Zanda Dougall on him but the figurehead striker was to prove a real handful for the Windlaw defence all day.
Both sides looked nervy to start with and a lot of the passing was rushed and careless. Tarditi though was winning almost everything in the air and was using his immense height to good effect with flick-ons. Windlaw were just managing to keep his threat at bay by winning most of the second balls he played on. Danny McKenna was doing really well on the left wing getting the ball down and attacking Airdrieonians defence but was also keeping the pacy William Gibb in check defensively too. The best chance of the first half came to McKenna on 30 minutes when the ball broke kindly for him some 8 yards out with only McFarlane to beat in the Airdrieonians goal. Unfortunately he somewhat ran around the ball to get it onto his left foot rather than swing with the right and his shot trickled agonisingly past the keeper’s right hand post. Airdrieonians had some decent half chances of their own but Lunny’s handling looked very assured. Benny Carey also came very close to converting a cross from close range but couldn’t adjust his body properly in time to convert. David McGinlay was booked for a foul on an Airdrieonians defender as the half reached its conclusion still scoreless.
Half-Time: Windlaw 0 Airdrieonians 0
The second half began in much the same way as the first. Chances were still reasonably difficult to come by and Windlaw were finding it more and more difficult to break down a defence that was being well organised by Stuart Isdale. There was a growing sense that the first goal would be all important. Kevin McCann replaced David McGinlay as the young striker looked perilously close to getting a second booking and his substitution looked to be a sensible move by Kerr before Windlaw went down to 10 men. Allan Dougall was then the victim of a shocking tackle from Airdrieonians defender Mark Callander who amazingly probably only escaped a red card after Dougall got up from the challenge to remonstrate with the guilty party. Both players were booked for the incident and thankfully Dougall was able to walk from the incident without serious injury. On 70 minutes Airdrieonians scored the goal that looked likely to win them the trophy for the first time. A free-kick some 40 yards out was flighted to the edge of the Windlaw box where Tarditi outjumped Zanda Dougall and his flick-on was touched into the net by a grateful team-mate from 7 yards out leaving Lunny with little chance. No inquest was made by the Windlaw defence however the accusations kept for later in the game. The large Airdrieonians support were in raptures and ready to celebrate a fourth First Division scalp en route to winning the trophy after already knocking out Vale United, Shawbridge and Greenbank. As the minutes ticked away, Airdrieonians defending got more resolute as their grip on the cup got stronger. After 85 minutes, Benny Carey and Shug Neeson contrived to get in each other’s way from only 6 yards out from a superb Kevin McCann cross. Infact had both left it, the cross would probably have gone straight in. In the social club, the Airdrieonians fans had already ordered the champagne and had it on ice ready for the celebrations. They had obviously not prepared for the drama that was yet to unfold. As the clock showed 30 seconds remaining and the referee almost with the whistle in his mouth, John Lunny bombed one last desperate free-kick towards the Airdrieonians box. Chris Kerr held off a defender’s challenge to allow McInally possession just inside the edge of the box. His first time cross found Danny McKenna unmarked and his bullet header seared across McFarlane into the corner of the net for the most dramatic of last second equalisers. Cue wild celebrations in the Windlaw camp as the chance to win the game in penalties beckoned. You could actually feel the sense of defeat already in the eyes of the Airdrieonians players. There was time for two touches of the ball as the referee Robertson respotted the ball for centre and Windlaw were now ready to move in for the kill from the spot.
Full-Time: Windlaw 1 Airdrieonians 1
Penalty Kicks
John Lunny had a premonition all week that this tie would go to spot-kicks with his excellent record making him confident of winning it for his side. How right he was. Skipper Shug Neeson converted Windlaw’s first despite a good effort from McFarlane. Airdrieonians first was easily saved by Lunny to give Windlaw the advantage. Benny Carey then planted a beauty in to cement a
2-0 lead. Lunny was then really close to saving a second but the ball somehow scraped inside his post for 2-1. Kevin McCann was next with another text-book kick as the pressure grew on Airdrieonians. Lunny then saved the next Airdrieonians penalty with a fine save to put Windlaw on the brink of glory that 10 minutes previously looked unimaginable. The defining kick was left to Chris Kerr who powered his kick up the middle past McFarlane and give Windlaw their 10th major honour in 10 seasons.
The celebratory champers was then transferred to the Windlaw camp as the stunned Airdrieonians players looked absolutely disconsolate.
Verdict: Forget the poor performance or the lucky Windlaw jibes, you don’t win 10 trophies in 10 seasons by being lucky. This was pure drama in the end and was all about the courage and resilience of a group of players who simply didn’t know when they were beaten. The early Airdrieonians celebrations probably spurred the team on even more and this will simply go down as yet another fairytale chapter in the story of Windlaw’s great history. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is in some ways the best way to do it. Congratulations to Martin Kerr and the boys on another fantastic triumph against the odds. Let's hope people continue to write this team off.
Website Man Of The Match: Danny McKenna- the official Man Of The Match award went to Shug Neeson, but the website will be controversial and award it to Danny McKenna just ahead of John Lunny. Both players were critical to the destination of the trophy but Danny’s all round display and persistence coupled with a stunning goal gets him the nod by a whisker. He can be a big Windlaw Star for many years to come. Lunny again stood up to the plate when it mattered. He is certainly the best goalkeeper in all three divisions of the league. Just don’t tell him that!
