| Strathclyde Saturday Morning League:Division 1 | |
| 18th March 2006 Central Park,Airdrie |
|
| AS Airdrie | 2 |
| Cooper(2) | |
| Windlaw | 2 |
| K.McCann,Carey | |
Star Man: Windlaw Manager Gary Wilson said "This week it will be a team award again. I felt it was a greatly improved performance for the lacklustre displays turned in in the last couple of weeks. If we keep picking up points at difficult venues like this we will post a points total that teams will find hard to match."
Action Details
Windlaw made two changes from the narrow cup win at Clydebank Thistle as they headed into deepest North Lanarkshire to play on what was a truly deplorable surface. Shug Neeson and Bruce Tierney replaced John McCabe and Alan Nugent. Darren Campbell returned to the bench.
Windlaw almost took the lead in the second minute when Chris Kerr seen his strong half-volley parried away for a corner by the Airdrie keeper. Windlaw dominated the first 35 minutes of the half and took a deserved lead on 20 minutes after Kevin McCann's cross-cum-shot free-kick from the left eluded everyone in the Airdrie box and found the far corner of the net. McInally then headed just over from a McCann corner. In the closing minutes of the half, the home side rattled Windlaw and their gigantic centre-half Cooper headed against the bar and another clear run-in on goal saw an Airdrie midfielder slide his shot just wide of Lunny's goal.
Half Time: AS Airdrie 0 Windlaw 1
The second half saw a fully committed Windlaw outbattle their opponents for long spells as they worked hard to restrict Airdrie who were now kicking down a measurable slope. To best sum up the pitch, a Windlaw throw-in taken by Allan Dougall hit a tree branch before bouncing back into play! The influential McCann had to go off injured on the hour and he was replaced by McCabe in left midfield. Windlaw deservedly went two up on 70 minutes in the game's controversial flashpoint. Skipper Chris Kerr broke clean through from midfield and was upended by the Airdrie keeper as he shaped to score. A penalty was awarded but no red card for the keeper amazingly. Carey did an immaculate job from the spot sending the keeper the wrong way. With 10 minutes remaining, Airdrie threw centre-half Cooper forward to great effect and with 6 minutes remaining he latched onto a superb cross to angle a fine header across Lunny's bows and into the right hand corner of the net. Suddenly, Windlaw from being comfortable looked panicky and from from an uncleared corner Lunny tipped a shot over the bar from point blank range. With two minutes left, Airdrie equalised and again that man Cooper did the damage. A brilliant cross found the big man eight yards out and his header crashed high into the net for the equaliser.
Full Time: AS Airdrie 2 Windlaw 2
Summing Up - Windlaw's hopes of finishing second remain intact with this draw. It should however have been a victory and defensively they couldn't cope with Cooper. The continuing absence of Zanda Dougall is making them vulnerable at crosses and this proved costly. Well done on a spirited fightback by Airdrie who never gave up the ghost. They'll continue to prove a major test for anyone in this league. As for the Central Park pitch, no further comment other than it made Greenfield look like a bowling green!
