Fighting spirit saves the day for Diamonds

Jul 30 2008 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

Airdrie United 3 Dumbarton 2

THE new season is only 90 minutes old but already Diamonds fans will feel they have been taken on an unwelcome emotional rollercoaster ride.

Airdrie found themselves 2-0 down against Third Division outfit Dumbarton at the end of the first half. You wouldn’t have put bad money on them pulling this one out of the fire.

But come the full-time whistle, it was all smiles again. A 3-2 success booked a place in the second round of the Challenge Cup and ensured Kenny Black’s men made a winning start to the campaign.

The best way to describe this see-saw battle was that it was literally a game of two halves. The visitors enjoyed the first, the Diamonds recovered in the second.

Goals from Ross Clark and Derek Carcary had the Sons and their small band of travelling fans in raptures. It seemed Airdrieonian Jim Chapman, Dumbarton’s manager, was about to ambush his hometown club.

However, a moment of magic from Stuart Noble, a classy strike by Joe Cardle and Paul Di Giacomo’s cool finish in off the post rescued Airdrie from the most dreadful of starts to the season.

“When you are playing cup-ties, the most important thing is that you get through - we have done that,” said a relieved Black.

“I knew this was going to be a difficult game. I asked for character at half-time and we certainly got that. The three goals we scored were of a high quality.”

Defensively, the Diamonds were all over the shop in the first half. Unable to deal with high crosses, Dumbarton were also able to cut them open with one measured through ball down the middle.

You could count on one hand the number of headers the rearguard won throughout a poor 90 minutes. The defending for the visitors’ goals was nothing short of dismal.

Bobby Donnelly endured a torrid afternoon and was hooked at the interval. David Nixon produced a nervy display but settled in the second half. Full-back Matt Hazley found the going tough.

“The two goals we conceded are a major concern for us,” the manager admitted. “There were a lot of uncomfortable moments at the back and that is something we will need to work on as we won’t get away with that in the First Division this season.

“The first half performance wasn’t acceptable, the goals we conceded were avoidable and the big problem was we didn’t win enough headers. I thought Keegan bullied our two centre-backs.”

Plenty of food for thought at the back, but going forward Airdrie potentially look a treat, especially with Cardle and Di Giacomo in form.

Former Port Vale winger Cardle is the type of player that will leave you frustrated and excited in equal measure. One minute he will cut inside and lose possession.

The next he will beat a couple of defenders and arrow a crisp, low drive into the bottom corner of the net - as he did in the 58th minute to make it 2-2.

Black added: “Joe is very positive. We get a bit of pace from him and he is an old-fashioned winger. I thought he did very well and was delighted to see him get his goal.”

Also impressive was Di Giacomo. He played intelligently, showed nice movement and has an eye for a defence-splitting pass - all the things you would expect from a player who has spent his career so far in the top-flight.

The 26-year-old later revealed the half-time words from Black and assistant manager Jimmy Boyle were the catalyst behind the Diamonds revival.

“I came in at half-time like a bear with a sore head,” the ex-Kilmarnock hitman said. “I was raging. We just weren’t good enough and as a full-time club, it had to be better.

“But I think it says a lot about us that we came out for the second half and showed a willingness to get on the ball, work hard, make chances and score goals.

“The boys showed a great spirit and it is all credit to the manager and Jimmy Boyle for getting us fired up and not letting us accept what happened in the first 45 minutes.”

Airdrie keeper Stephen Robertson pulled off an impressive point-blank block from Carcary in the 19th minute but was picking the ball out of the net six minutes later.

Gary Wilson’s high free-kick was won in the air by Keegan whose header cracked the base of the post. Clark reacted quickest to the loose ball and rifled a shot into the roof of the net.

Just before half-time, the advantage was doubled. Sons defender Andy Geggan was given all the time in the world to ping over a back post cross with Carcary applying the finishing touch.

Noble launched the fightback in the 53rd minute. From 25 yards, he rattled a left-foot drive beyond the despairing reach of Sons keeper Dave McEwan. A piece of brilliance from Cardle levelled the scores.

And with 15 minutes left, Airdrie finally went in front. Cardle’s lovely ball over the top was collected by Di Giacomo who fired a shot in off the woodwork, much to the relief of the home support.

There was a late scare. A David Gray shot seemed to clearly strike Nixon on the arm in the box but referee Calum Murray waved away appeals for a spot-kick.

“For me it was a stonewall penalty,” argued Chapman. But Airdrie boss Black reckoned his team should have had a spot-kick of their own when Steven McDougall was held back in the area in the first half.

Ex-Albion Rovers gaffer Chapman had every right to feel proud of his team. They played well, and on this evidence, look equipped to mount a promotion charge.

For Airdrie, there is plenty of room for improvement. But this was just one game, and for the moment, winning it was all that mattered.

Advertiser man of the match: Joe Cardle. Frustrating at times but still produced the goods when they were needed.

Airdrie: Robertson, Smyth, Donnelly (Smith 45), Nixon, Hazley, McDougall (McLaughlin 90), McKenna, McDonald, Cardle, Noble (Maguire 90), Di Giacomo. Subs not used: Watt, Hollis(gk).

Booked: Smyth, McDonald.

Dumbarton: McEwan, Geggan, Gordon, Canning, Wilson, Gray, Clark (Logan 81), O’Byrne (Lennon 81), Murray, Keegan, Carcary (Tiernan 64). Subs not used: Chisholm, White(gk).

Booked: Canning, Gray, Keegan.

Referee: Calum Murray.

Attendance: 808

Moment of the match: Stuart Noble’s stunning goal gave the Diamonds a much-needed spark.