AIRDRIE UNITED battled into the play-off final as they did just about enough to edge out gutsy Raith. With the collateral damage having already been done in Kirkcaldy the Diamonds will now face two nerve-shredding showdowns for a place back in the F
irst Division.
Rovers came out the traps snarling, winning challenges and forcing the issue just as John McGlynn would have demanded. Despite all this early dominance it was the Diamonds who struck first with former Celtic protegee Brian Prunty firing home, having benefited from some horribly lax defending.
Three goals down, the Stark's Park men were facing an uphill task, yet within minutes we were back to square one courtesy of a soft penalty decision. Referee Craig Thomson ruled Marco Andreoni had deliberately got his hand in the way of Robert Sloan's free kick, allowing Graham Weir to calmly pick his spot from 12 yards.
With so much at stake there was little chance of the action dying a death, with Russell seeing his free kick clutched by Brown and Rovers' David Goodwillie coming close with a shot on the turn. With tackles flying in everywhere you looked, and goalmouth action aplenty, this was a tremendous advert for play-off football.
Clearly the half-time word in the home dressing room had been to err on the side of caution and this allowed Rovers to pile forward. They should have been right back in the tie ten minutes after the restart when Weir somehow failed to find the net from six yards having been picked out on his lonesome at the back post. Chances were coming thick and fast for the visitors, although frustratingly for them only a towering header from Andy Tod forced Robertson into serious action.
Such wasteful finishing would cost Rovers dear. Thirteen minutes from time defender Bobby Donnelly stole in to force home his first Airdrie goal and finally put the issue to bed.
Even with the tie way out of their reach Rovers kept coming and grabbed a too-little-too-late equaliser as Weir lobbed home.
The full article contains 383 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
