Visiting striker Brian McPhee saw his penalty saved by Craig Nelson before Brechin took the lead on 24 minutes.
Alex Burns broke on the right and passed inside for Grant Johnson to shoot into the bottom corner.
Airdrie threw everything forward and they got their reward after 80 minutes when Stephen McKeown drove the ball home from close range.
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This may seem harsh but yesterday for the first time this season I think we got at least 45 minutes of football out of the Airdrie team, 20 minutes at the beginning of the first half and 25 at the tail end of the second.
Airdrie could have gone 1-0 up after only five minutes, referee Colin Hardie awarded a free kick to us just out side the Brechin Penalty area. Before we had taken it he had to separate Stephen Docherty and Grant Johnson who were having a shoving match in the penalty area. When the free kick was taken referee Hardie must have seen another push Johnson was booked and Airdrie were awarded a penalty. Now two things about the penalty, it looked soft very soft, I’m not saying we were not grateful for it but it did look soft. The second our normal penalty takers have been McKeown or Dunn, who have both been successful for us why yesterday change it to McPhee? Any way Brian steps up and shoots low to the right, Brechin keeper Craig Neilson pulls off a fine save and justice in a way has been done. We needed the goal to get us out of the blocks but it wasn’t meant to be.
Two minutes later youngster Stephen McDougal, he only Airdrie player who is taking any responsibility during matches in my opinion, received the ball on the wing and drove through the Brechin Defence his shot ended up in the side netting, but he was direct and with a little luck it could have been his first goal.
The first Brechin chance fell to Paul Ritchie whose header spun wide.
Airdrie then played some really nice passing football around the Brechin penalty box, left right and centre the ball went back and forward it was fantastic to watch, seven eight nine passes and not one shot at goal. Something that has to be pointed out to the Airdrie team, THERE IS NO SHAME IN SHOOTING AND MISSING! take the chance if you score brilliant if not then at least it shows your trying.
Well all that in 20 minutes, by 25 minutes Airdrie would be 1-0 down. As Brechin broke up the left wing Fraser Coyle was in place to clear it but it took a bounce and as he swung at it he missed it. The ball broke away to Alex Burns, as the Airdrie defence struggled to get back, his pass went straight in to the path of Villain turned Hero Grant Johnston. His shot snuck in the left hand side of the post and Airdrie found themselves in a loosing position once again.
After the goal both teams struggled to keep any play flowing, Colin Hardie took every chance to massage his ego, stopping and starting the game every few minutes just so he could hear his own voice. Referees are like kids if things are going well they should be seen and not heard unfortunately Hardie doesn’t think so.
Coyle was replaced by McKenna at the start of the second half and Airdrie went through a few scary moments Lee Hollis came of his line to catch a high ball in to the box unfortunately his supporting leg went away from him and his one handed swing at the ball helped it in to the path of Alex Burns, thankfully Alan McManus did his job and covered up for the sprawling keeper and cleared the ball of the line. Hollis then for the first time was given a chance to show why he is highly rated by the club as Stuart Callaghan was left unmarked on the right hand side his powerful close range shot was well saved and cleared by Lee Hollis.
In the last 25 minutes of the match Willie McLaren on one wing and Stephen McDougal on the other made sure the Brechin defence were put under continuous pressure, our equaliser came after Neilson pulled off two saves to keep us out, but Stephen McKeown fired from just in side the penalty box to score Airdrie’s first goal of the season and earn us our first points.
The Broomfield Stomp