Attendance : 710

Scorer ~ Airdrie United : Ronald (57)

Although United’s good second half performance might be considered by some as justification for the win, Rovers will feel aggrieved that they did not get at least a share of the spoils from this pre-season friendly.

Having said that, there’s no doubt that top man for the Cliftonhill outfit was goalkeeper Chris Fahey who came to the rescue of his colleagues on a number of occasions.

Nevertheless, Rovers themselves created enough chances to win, but bad luck and an obvious lack of composure in front of goal contrived to keep the ball out of the visitors’ net.

With former Cliftonhill favourites Neil McGowan and Lee Gardner in their ranks, Airdrie were under immediate pressure from a fired-up home side which demonstrated the ability to play neat, incisive football, but without actually threatening Mark McGeown in the visitors’ goal.

After the match settled down to a more even encounter, United then showed much more aggression and in the 15th minute, Fahey made a great save from a splendid shot by Alan Gow. Within a minute, Gow was again in the picture as he fired over a nicely weighted cross which was headed high over the crossbar by Willie Wilson. As Airdrie gained confidence, David Dunn tried his luck from twenty yards, but his low shot slipped past the wrong side of a post. Then a Wilson cross was brilliantly punched clear by Fahey.

Having weathered something of a storm, Rovers regained some of the initiative and a fine move ended with Iain Diack’s cute back-heeler being shot straight at the ‘keeper by young Graeme McCaul. After a bad miss by Mark Roberts and a Paul Ronald shot which was easily held, Rovers again came close when Mark Yardley knocked the ball down for McCaul who snatched at his shot and fired wildly over the crossbar.

Home defender John McCaig set Rovers’ hearts a-flutter with a pass-back which beat Fahey but skidded outside a post and at the other end a strong Yardley header was easily held by McGeown. With the interval approaching, McCaul broke clear of the defence, but inexperience took over and his drive sailed tamely into the ‘keeper’s arms.

Within a couple of minutes of the restart, Diack fluffed a shot from excellent position and a great McCaig tackle robbed Roberts at the last moment. Then Gow had a bad miss, hooking the ball high over while clear in front of goal. As Airdrie gained more and more control, it was no surprise when they went ahead in the 57th minute when a Marvin Wilson cross to the back post was met by Ronald whose looping header sailed high over the watching Fahey into the opposite side of the net. Roberts and Ronald then had chances to put the result beyond doubt, but a combination of good defending and brave goalkeeping denied them both.

Visiting substitute Martin Glancy saw Fahey leap to turn his strong dive over the top before, at the other end, a low try from Jered Stirling beat everyone - and the post. The ensuing spate of substitutes failed to make any real change to the pattern of play, but with only a minute left, Diack got behind the defence, but his first touch was woeful and McGeown gratefully cleared the danger.

Albion Rovers : Fahey, Paterson, Stirling, Smith, Cormack (Valentine 74), McCaig, McCaul, Farrell, Yardley (McKenzie 83), Diack, Mercer. Unused Subs : Connolly, Selkirk, Swain.

Airdrie United : McGeown, W Wilson, Dunn (Watson 80), Stewart (Miller 68), S Wilson, McGowan, Gardner (Glancy 68), M Wilson, Roberts (Grant 77), Ronald, Gow. Unused Subs : Black, Hollis

Referee : E Smith

Man of the match : Chris Fahey