Airdrie CC 1 vs 0 Stirling Albion 2010 Reds

Airdrie CC 1 - Stirling Albion 0

Veo link -

Really tight stuffy encounter for the first 50-60minutes on Saturday with both teams appreciating the importance of a positive result in the league race. Playing with the swirling wind behind them first half saw Airdrie having more territory with the longer ball and even defensive clearances causing some problems for us - and we struggled to get out properly in spells. Full credit should go to our hosts for their off the ball work the full game - they pressed and harrassed us extremely well all over the pitch which didn't allow us to settle into any rhythm.

The game was very stop/start in the first half punctuated by the ball going out of play and freekicks given to both sides - meant the first half was mostly a series of throw-ins and set-pieces. It was from one of their many throw-ins that Airdrie got the crucial first goal. A great finish from the Airdrie forward from the left hand edge of box when receiving the throw and turning but we felt we could've defended it better. With very few clearcut opportunites being created by either side it was a bad game to go behind in.

When we did get into promising situations in the final third our final ball or decision making was off - meaning we didn't take advantage of our good moments. With Airdrie's big centre half and CDM having excellent games it saw most of our promising attacks occuring in wide areas. These either came up short with a poor choice or clever defending from from the home side. Think we counted 6 freekicks in the same 10yard radius on our left flank in the first half but nothing came from any of them.

With the wind helping us 2nd half we started positively with Leo and Dan having half-chances but if we're honest we struggled to create clear enough opporutnities to level with us not moving the ball quickly enough the whole game to beat our opponents press with Airdrie defending very well. Around the 55minute mark we went for it with us going 334 and 325 at times in the last 25 minutes. Apart from a few occasions we got sucked into relying on the conditions and long balls to try and create something instead of being braver on the ball. In hindsight maybe we pushed too many bodies forward which perhaps encouraged this approach.

We had a series of corners and free-kicks but Airdrie cleared their lines well and were constantly a danger on the break as we went man for man at back. They had a few good chances on the break but Cammy and the defence did well to keep us in it.

Overall we didn't do enough to win it - Airdrie doing the kind of number on us off the ball with their workrate and energy that we've done to them in past during our best results versus them.

With the top 4 still to play we're still in the hunt (Rossvale x 2) but we'll need to be at our absolute best in the next 6 weeks.

MOTM - given we didn't quite click in forward areas at weekend all the contenders will come from the defence this week. Haris did well both at FB and RW, Cammy made a couple of really good saves - but again the coaches vote goes to Ellis. He's been exemplary of late - setting an example to all the boys with his workrate, energy and desire in the back line. A fierce competitor who wins the vast majority of his duels every game, displaying the attitude we'll need to end the season with.