Queens 0 Airdrie Utd 3 |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Apr 29 2007 at 10:43 AM |
After retaining our first division status last weekend up at Perth,despite the 3-0 defeat I was expecting a good display for our final home match against Airdrie Utd who needed a result to ensure they finished above Ross County and avoided the automatic drop down to division 2. Then during the week it was announced that both Ian McCall and Gordon Chisholm would be leaving the club after the final game. McCall felt it was time to move on but although he has kept us in this division for the last two seasons he has hardly set the heather on fire so I for one was not too bothered by his departure. I have every faith in our chairman Davie Rae and the board of directors and Im sure they will get a quality replacement in at the club in plenty of time to prepare for next season.
As for todays game. Well while having a pint with gogs beforehand we were discussing how the team may line up and what changes might be made. We fully realised the importance of this game to both Ross County and todays visitors Airdrie Utd and we fully expected a familiar starting line-up with maybe a couple of changes but nothing drastic.
How shocked was I when the team reverted� to the three at the back model which had been so unsuccessful in the earlier part of the season. Jamie MacDonald had in front of him a back three who had not played together in that role all season. Our player of the year Neil Scally was in the middle of Jim Thomson and a returning to fitness Andy Aitken. Eric Paton and Jamie McQuilken were wing backs with Jamie Adams and Stevie "still not 100% fit Tosh" in the middle. McCall then played Stephen Dobbie just in behind a front pairing of Graham Weir and Sean O'Connor. On the bench we had Lauchlan,Murray,O'Neill and Hyslop.
The game started in bright sunshine but with a strong breeze� which could be seen by the way the masses of Airdrie flags on the Terregles St end were blowing around. The visitors brought a large and noisy following of nearly 1000 fans with them today and they were right behind their team from start to finish. Queens started brightly and after just a minute Dobbie made himself some space and unleashed a fine shot which beat the Airdrie keeper but came back off the post. That was as good as it got and as near as we came to scoring all game. We did have the best of the early possession but the visitors took the lead after 10 minutes when Taylor finished off a free kick from McKenna. After 20 minutes the visitors doubled their lead when� Ian Harty was first to the ball to knock it into the net. It was now looking good for Airdrie as Queens hardly threatened. It was just like a year previous in our last home match against Dundee and in the end it was the same 3-0 scoreline when in the second half a free kick after an hour was hit home by Paul Lovering. Queens had reverted to a 4-4-2 formation at the break when Lauchlan and Murray replaced Tosh and Aitken but it made no difference as the damage had been done by then.
Adams,Tosh,McQuilken and Murray had all seen yellow cards before Jim Lauchlan received a straight red for an elbow on Twigg near the end. By the time the final whistle had been blown a great number of fans had alraedy seen enough and headed for home. The players came back out to aknowledge the supporters but it was all a bit flat and most of us were just glad the season was over and we were still in the first division.
I cant say I am too sorry to see Ian McCall depart but I would really like to know his reasons with regards to his team selection and line up today. I dont think it done Ross County any favours at all. In the end it did not matter as Gretna won at Dingwall and lifted the championship and Airdrie Utd now have to face Brechin City in the first play off match on Wed night.
Musky.
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