League Game 11; Venue – Forthbank Astroturf

Match Report

Our Under 19s lost 4-1 against Stirling Albion Under 19s at Forthbank Astroturf in there eleventh league game of the season.

For the game our Under 19s were forced to make one change to the starting eleven from the previous league game against Morton as Grant Easton joined Fraser Keast on the injury list and this meant Trialist Michael Hutchinson was handed a start.

First Half

The game got off to a disastrous start for our Under 19s as on the 3rd minute Stirling won a corner and from it the ball was crossed into the front post and turned goalwards and it went into the net at the near post to give Stirling an early lead. Airdrie almost responded instantly as a minute later Jamie Bain had a go from about 20 yards out but Stirling’s goalkeeper Matthew Porch (who was formerly a Trialist for our Under 19s) got down low to turn the ball behind the post and from the resulting corner no danger was caused.

The game slowed down and the next chance was not until the 19th minute for our Under 19s when they won a free kick about 25 yards from goal as from it Jonny Fisher hit a curling shot but Matthew Porch got a hand to the ball to turn it onto the bar and the rebound was cleared and two minutes later Jonny Fisher had another chance as from about 20 yards out he hit a shot but it took a deflection and went just wide and from the resulting corner Jonny Fisher sent a dangerous curling cross into the box but Matthew Porch was able to turn it away and the Stirling defence again cleared the danger.

Before the next chance Jamie Bain was yellow carded for Airdrie and then on the 28th minute Ryan Donnelly slid in to beat Matthew Porch to a Scott Sally through ball and to hit a shot but the ball went just wide. Five minutes later Stirling had only there second chance of the game when they won a corner as from it the ball was crossed into the box and Ryan Nimmo sent a header goalwards but it went over the bar. Then on the 35th minute Airdrie’s Trialist Michael Hutchinson was yellow carded and four minutes later Ryan Donnelly hit a shot from the top of the box but it went wide.

Stirling was to have the final two chances of the half and on the 43rd minute they had the first of these when they hit a shot from inside the box but Andy Collier turned the ball around the post and from the corner no danger was caused. A minute later Stirling’s Ryan Nimmo sent a cross from the right wing into the box and it went flying over Andy Collier and high into the net to send them into half time with a two goal lead.

Second Half

Before the half began Airdrie made there first substitution as Graeme Goodall came on for Scott Sally however it was Stirling who had the first chance a minute into the half when Ross McEwan hit a shot from inside the box but Andy Collier made the save. Five minutes later Stirling won a corner and had another chance as from it the ball was crossed into the box and a header was sent goalwards but it went over the bar.

Airdrie had to wait until the 66th minute for there first chance and it was for Paddy McCabe as he ran onto an Aiden Malone through ball and from a tight angle inside the box he hit a shot but it went just over the bar and before the game could restart Airdrie made there second substitution of the game as Ally Morgan came on for Shaun McKay. It was Stirling who had the next two chances though and on the 69th minute they had the first of these when they hit a shot from about 20 yards out but it went wide and a minute later they won a corner and from it the ball was crossed into the box and not cleared properly and this led to a Stirling player hitting a shot from about ten yards out but it rattled the bar and the defence cleared the rebound.

On the 72nd minute our Young Diamonds had only there second chance of the half when they won a free kick about 25 yards from goal as from it Jonny Fisher hit a shot but Matthew Porch got fingertips to the ball to turn it onto the bar and from the rebound the ball was only cleared to Jamie Bain who was about 20 yards from goal and he hit a shot but it took a deflection and Matthew Porch made the save. Then on the 75th minute Stirling had the next chance and scored again as from inside the box a cross was sent over Andy Collier and to the back post where an unmarked player was and he slotted the ball into the net to increase the lead.

With only thirteen minutes of the game remaining Airdrie made there final substitution as Drew Ramsay came on for Paul Byrne and a few minutes after this Ryan Donnelly was played through on goal and from inside the box he hit a shot but it went over the bar. Shortly after this Stirling had a go from about 20 yards out but it went over the bar and on the 83rd minute Ally Morgan had a go for Airdrie from about 25 yards out but Matthew Box one again got fingertips onto the ball to turn it onto the bar and this time it went over and from the resulting corner no danger was caused.

On the 85th minute Airdrie though they had pulled a goal back as from a ball into the box Ryan Donnelly beat Matthew Porch to the ball to turn it over the line but the referee adjudged Ryan Donnelly to have fouled Matthew and Ryan was yellow carded for his protests. With only two minutes of the game remaining our Under 19s did pull a goal back as from about 25 yards out Jamie Bain released a rasping drive which flew high into the net to give Matthew Porch no chance. Airdrie lost concentration after the goal though and from the restart Stirling launched an attack and this led to the ball been passed across goal for an unmarked player to turn the ball into the net and inflict a 4-1 defeat on our Young Diamonds.

Team

Starting 11

1 – Andy Collier, 2 – Jamie Bain – 1 Goal, 3 – Paul Byrne,

4 – Trialist Michael Hutchinson, 5 – David Cane, 6 – Paddy McCabe (Captain),

7 – Shaun McKay, 8 – Jonny Fisher – Man of the Match, 9 – Scott Sally,

10 – Ryan Donnelly, 11 – Aiden Malone

Subs – All Used

12 – Graeme Goodall for 9 – Scott Sally,

14 – Trialist Ally Morgan for 7 – Shaun McKay, 15 – Drew Ramsay for 3 – Paul Byrne