AIRDRIE UNITED 1 DUNFERMLINE 1 Date: 09/03/10

Fixture: Irn Bru SFL Division

Attendance: 703, Kick Off: 7.45pm.

Referee: Brian Winter

MATCH PICTURES
Dunfermline maintained their unbeaten league record against Airdrie United but it took a penalty kick conversion by Willie Gibson four minutes from time to save the team from defeat.

Both sides made one change from the starting elevens that faced up just three days before at East End Park.  Nick Phinn came in for Alex Burke and for the home side Paul Lovering replaced Kevin McDonald.

Apart from an Andy Kirk attempt in the second minute that went straight to keeper Stephen Robertson and a wild Calum Woods shot, the sides cancelled each other out until Kirk produced another shot in 14 minutes that Robertson parried away.

David Graham cut inside seven minutes later but his shot from 25 yards went high and wide.  The home side struck however in 24 minutes with Ricky WADDELL hitting the net from 25 yards.  His left footed shot travelled across the keeper and nestled in the right side of the Pars goal.

Things got a lot worse for Jim McIntyre three minutes later when Kirk went down in a tackle and required to be stretchered off.  Willie Gibson came on and Graham was pushed upfront.  Gibson soon had an opportunity from a free kick after Tom Parrott collected a yellow card for a foul on Joe Cardle.  The free kick was driven high and wide however.

Neither keeper was tested before the first half ended after the four addeed minutes.

Half Time: Airdrie United 1 Dunfermline 0

There was some early hopes for the visitors at the start of the second period, Graham looked to latch on to a Bell pass but Robertson came out first.  Phinn then put through Graham in 48 minutes but the Diamonds defence covered well.  Then two minutes later Woods played an inviting ball into the centre of the opposition penalty box but there were no takers.

Dunfermline had further pressure with a Gibson free kick and then from a Bell challenge at a corner. Woods popped another shot from distance but was just off target and as the chances kept coming there was just no one to take them.

Eventually a penalty kick decision handed the Pars a lifeline. Sub Ross Campbell threaded the ball through for Steven Bell to run on to but the former Stirling Albion midfielder was fouled on the edge of the box by Paul Lovering and Referee Brian Winter pointed to the spot.  Airdrie hotly disputed the decision before GIBSON stepped up and sent the ball sweetly into the right side of the net while Robertson went the other way.

There was relief in the Dunfermline camp.  It was a match where they struggled in the first half, played better in the second while still being suspect to the counterattack.  If there had been a presence in the Airdrie box there could well have been more goals.

AIRDRIE UNITED: Stephen Robertson; Tom Parratt (Bobby Donnelly 39), Paul Lovering, Marc Smyth, Simon Storey, Ricky Waddell, Ryan McCann (Frankie Lagana 72), Scott McLauchlin, Diarmund O`Carroll, Scott Gemmill, John Baird (Paul Keegan 85).
SUBS NOT USED: Kevin McDonald, Lee Hollis (GK)
SCORER: Waddell (24)
YELLOW CARD: Parratt (34), Baird (45+4), Donnelly (84), Lagana (89), Smyth (90)

DUNFERMLINE: Greg Fleming; Calum Woods, Chris Higgins, Andy Dowie, Austin McCann (c); Steven Bell, Gary Mason, Nick Phinn (Ross Campbell 62); David Graham, Joe Cardle (Graeme Holmes 72)  Andy Kirk (Willie Gibson 30).
SUBS NOT USED: Greg Ross,  Greg Paterson (GK) 
SCORER: Gibson (86 pen)
YELLOW CARD: Gibson (44), Dowie (64), Bell (73), Graham (90 +3)

WEATHER: Cool, Dry, 1C
MATCH PICTURES

NEXT MATCH: (home) SFL v Queen of the South
Saturday 13th March 2010, kick off 3.00pm