Fairydean Rovers fall in pre-season opener

By David Knox
at Netherdale

PRE-SEASON fixtures have a habit of throwing up a few surprises.

Unfortunately Saturday’s warm-up opener between Gala Fairydean Rovers and Airdrie was all a bit predictable.

Gala battled well enough for long periods while the talented teenagers from North Lanarkshire took full advantage of the occasional error to win the match.

Home manager Steven Noble was ambivalent at the final whistle. He told us: “We gave them very little in the first half and I was pleased with the effort but our own possession has to be better.

“Losing the first goal so early in the second half gave them a lift and we struggled a bit after that.

“It was a good fitness exercise for us and I was pleased with how a few of the younger boys did against strong opposition.

“I’d like to thank Airdrie for coming down again this season.”
Playing the opening 45 minutes without a recognised striker prevented the Fairydean Rovers troubling Rohan Ferguson’s goal all that much.

The home side’s best opportunity of the half, and probably the whole game, came in the third minute when Fergusson collected a back pass and gave away an indirect freekick eight yards out.

Ross Aitchison’s blast was deflected a yard wide of the target.

Airdrie looked full of running and produced some neat build up play. But the home defence was well organised with George Windram and Kieran Ainslie dealing comfortably with everything that came their way.

Mark Walters, who is on the verge of signing from Coldstream, produced a couple of relatively easy saves as the half wore on.

When the former Berwick Rangers keeper was finally beaten on 33 minutes from Scott Thomson’s looping header, the bar came to his rescue.

Gala broke well at times with David Bonnar looking like he’s back to his best, and new signing Daniel Pattenden, who was with Chirnside last season, always eager to beat his marker.

The introduction of Stuart Noble at the interval should have given Gala more of a threat.

But a mistake from Ainslie just two minutes after the restart allowed Robbie Leighton to race in and squeeze the ball beyond Walters.

Suddenly Gordon Dalziel’s side picked up the pace and quickly doubled their advantage. Thomson cut in from the left only to be tripped by Scott Main inside the area, and Cammy Russell tucked away the penalty.

Noble threw on his youngsters from the bench and they more than held their own as the second half wore on.

Gavin Brown’s energy and accuracy around the middle of the park would have pleased his manager.

But it was the visitors who stole a third goal on the break.
Thomson’s headed flick-on saw Russell race across the 18 yard line before sublimely slotting a shot inside the far post.

Gala did have a strong claim for a penalty with 16 minutes remaining as Aitchison was clearly tripped inside the area but referee Peter Stuart ignored the protests.

Noble was also unfortunate not pull a goal back on 82 minutes as his angled effort deflected fortuitously into the arms of the Airdrie keeper.
Manager Noble added: “We had a squad of 19 players today and there are three or four new signings still to come in.

“Losing a game isn’t great but I’m happy with the way we are shaping up ahead of this season.”

Having lost their manager in the week preceding the Netherdale trip, Airdrie’s director of football, Gordon Dalziel, admitted the win was much-needed for his squad.

He said: “It has been an unsettling week for the players so it will have done them the world of good to come down here and get the win.

“I thought we played well at times, considering it’s our first game, and I was happy with the way we took our goals.”

Gala FR. M Walters, L Stephen, S Main, G Windram, K Ainslie (L Swaney 60), D Bonnar (M Gordon 83), D Smith (J Temple 68), D Pattenden (G Brown 56), R Aitchison, M Berry (J Steele 80) & B Miller (S Noble 46).