With John McAulay out injured and Colin McKinnon recovering from a dead leg, John Brownlie brought John Cusick and David McInally into the team as direct replacements. Colin McKinnon was however able to take one of the places on the bench. The visitors attacked straight from the kick-off and looked as if they were intent in repeating their six nil victory of earlier in the season. Their pressure paid dividends after three minutes when their prolific striker, Owen Coyle, met a ball from their right and slotted it past Hinchcliffe. Arbroath gradually tried to get back into the game however they had another setback after 12 minutes when David McInally dislocated his kneecap and had to be replaced by Stevie Mallan. This change pushed Stevie up front to support Kevin Bayne. After half an hour we were back in the game but were finding it hard to get past the visiting defence, even with the wind advantage. The Airdrie central defender had to be replaced after 33 minutes following a challenge by Bayne and a minute later a George Rowe header came off the keeper into the net for the equaliser. Just before half time a great Andy Cargill effort hit the bar.
Colin McKinnon replaced Andy Cargill at half time as Cargill was suffering from double vision following a head knock late in the first half. Airdrie pushed hard with the wind behind them but found our defence was solid. Bayne had a half chance but the ball was cleared from his feet. Heenan replaced Bayne and following a good run by Mallan the ball was passed forward to Heenan who laid it back to Brownlie whose cross was headed home at the far post by Colin McKinnon to give Arbroath the lead with six minutes to go. We held out to record a great victory.
