Black is making his league points with cup final heroes

Oct 15 2008 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

KENNY BLACK will this week tell his players to forget about their cup heroics - and concentrate on ambushing the league leaders.

Airdrie United welcome First Division table-toppers Queen of the South to New Broomfield on Saturday.

And Diamonds boss Black is desperate for his Challenge Cup finalists to make life tricky for a Doonhamers outfit who thrashed Livingston 6-1 on their last outing.

He said: “We know what has to be achieved in the second quarter of the season.

“We have to do better points-wise than we did in the first quarter.

“There is no better way to start this stage of the campaign than against a team who are doing very well at the top of the league.

“We got a point down at Dumfries on the opening day of the season and Queens’ results since then show just how good a result that was for us.

“We know exactly what to expect. Gordon Chisholm, Kenny Brannigan and Billy Dodds have got them buzzing and they have carried on from where they left off last season.”

The Airdrie gaffer added: “It will be difficult but we want to test ourselves against the best and that is why we are in the First Division.

“We have done well and taken points from the stronger sides. Of the top three just now, we have beaten Livingston and drawn with Queens and Dunfermline.

“What we need to try and do is maintain a cutting edge up front, continue to try and work on the defensive side of our game and be more consistent.”