Airdrie United reach crisis point

Nov 25 2009 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

Airdrie United 2 Morton 4

THE following statistics do not come with a Government health warning, nor a spoonful of sugar to help make them easier to swallow.

After four months of misery and failure – with the odd positive performance followed by an all too common dire display – the time has come to reveal, in stark detail, exactly why the current situation at Airdrie United can’t be allowed to go on for much longer.

The Diamonds have won just once and lost 12 times in 17 games. Eight of the last nine matches have ended in defeat, amounting to a combined score of 18-7 against, with three of rock-bottom Airdrie’s previous four outings at New Broomfield resulting in losses.

A gap of eight points now exists between Kenny Black’s side and Morton in eighth place. The second-worst goal difference in the league belongs to an Airdrie team who have conceded more than double the number they have scored.

This defeat to Morton was the final straw for the majority of Airdrie fans now craving managerial change.

A four-goal blitz in 25 horrendous minutes heaped more pressure on to the 45-year-old and his beleaguered team at the weekend. It was another desperate afternoon as the Diamonds collapsed in awful fashion.

The boos which greeted the final whistle were entirely justified. This was a shocking result, made all the worse when taking into account the fact that Airdrie were actually 2-0 up before some supporters were even in the door.

As Morton put even more breathing space between themselves and the automatic relegation spot, the Diamonds were absorbing the enormity of this loss and its consequences; the best they will do this season is a play-off spot.

Anyone wishing to dispute this last claim will need the detective skills of Poirot to provide suitable evidence to the contrary.

To win at this level, you need hard work, quality and mental toughness. The Diamonds tend to give their all and show flashes of enterprising play, but are sorely lacking when it comes to strength of mind and the ability to recover from setbacks.

Football has always been a results business and managers will always be judged by their bottom line. Black’s doesn’t make for pretty reading just now and is even less appealing when you factor in two previous relegations in three seasons on his watch.

“The four goals came as a result of poor defending,” commented the gaffer. “You are left scratching your head wondering what you have to do to win a game. It is basic defending that is costing us dearly.”

Yet it had all started so well. David Nixon opened the scoring in less than 90 seconds when he converted from close range after Scott McLaughlin’s shot from an Alan Trouten corner landed at his feet.

And the match was only four minutes old when John Baird collected strike partner Diarmuid O’Carroll’s excellent defence-splitting pass and slotted past Colin Stewart.

The Diamonds’ two-goal lead should have been the foundation for a morale-boosting win, but their dreadful defending soon brought the home support crashing back down to earth.

Ryan McGuffie began the fightback when he drifted between Simon Storey and Frankie Lagana to head a Kevin Finlayson cross in off the post.

Unbelievably, the ex-Gretna midfielder was the only player in the box to attack the ball as the Australian pair were ruthlessly exposed. The centre-half pairing of Bobby Donnelly and Nixon were posted missing.

The travelling fans would soon witness an equaliser. After winning possession, Peter Weatherson charged into the area and squared a ball for Brian Wake, who out-muscled Ricky Waddell, turned sharply, and lifted a shot into the roof of the net.

Ton’s third arrived in the 53rd minute. A long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by Storey, midfielder Jim McAlister pounced and sent a reverse pass into the path of Wake, who finished with aplomb.

And a dire spell was capped in the 67th minute when Weatherson’s free-kick was initially blocked by the Airdrie defensive wall, but no one was out quick enough to close down David Van Zanten as he curled home a wonderful rebound effort.

The weekly DVD analysis will make for uncomfortable viewing for Black and his players. The same errors are being made in every game. The manager’s message is falling on deaf ears.

Black (pictured left) did himself no favours with a bizarre half-time substitution. An ankle injury ended Nixon’s afternoon with the manager electing to bring on Kevin McDonald.

This decision saw the impressive Ryan McCann – who was providing strength and drive in central midfield – pushed to right-back after Storey was moved into the heart of the defence. Airdrie got nothing from the middle of the park for the rest of the day and you wondered why Darren Smith hadn’t been asked to plug a hole in defence.

“I think we are in a difficult situation but we have been for a number of weeks now,” added Black. “This will have given our confidence a severe dent.”

No doubt about that. What happens now is at the discretion of Airdrie chairman Jim Ballantyne but the rank-and-file have already passed their judgement – enough is enough.

Advertiser man of the match (3pts) - Ryan McCann. Performed well throughout. Diarmuid O’Carroll (2pts), Scott McLaughlin (1pt).

Moment of the match: Ton sniffed blood when Ryan McGuffie made it 2-1.

Airdrie: Robertson; Storey, Donnelly, Nixon (McDonald 45), Waddell; Trouten (Watt 80), McCann, Lagana (Keegan 72), McLaughlin; O’Carroll, Baird. Subs not used: Smith, Hollis(gk).

Morton: Stewart; Van Zanten, Greacen, MacGregor, Reid; Finlayson, McGuffie, Paartalu, McAlister; Wake (Monti 89), Weatherson (Graham 90). Subs not used: Harding, Kane, McWilliams(gk).

Referee: Steve Conroy.