News Detail » UEFA Regions Final Preparation Match Report
UEFA Regions Final Preparation Match Report
West District Select 6 East District Select 0
@ New Broomfield, Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie
on Tuesday 11th February 2014
The final game on the road to Slovenia went ahead on a cold evening at Airdrie FC, Stadium with a covering of snow just to add to the atmosphere but if any players were bothered it certainly didn’t show.
Despite the layer of snow conditions under foot actually remained excellent and both teams set about their business in enthusiastic style. However, the crowd had hardly settled when the home opened up their opponents defence wide open and left Michael Mullen to take full advantage from tidy cross from the right to fire low past Nisbet.
The East District responded with some adventures play of their own and Jordan Longmuir was soon off his line to foil the clever Alan Seriff as he raced towards goal.
Nevertheless, the home side looked the more likely to increase their advantage but Nisbet pulled off a wonder save from Keiron Burns who had the goal at his mercy at the time.
The West continued to probe, McCabe was kept busy defending over on the left, while Peebles and McClure were always involved along with the busy Alex Cleary leaving Mullen a handful up front but despite all the neat movement and play the result remained on an edge.
So as the half continued the visitors remained in contention and Longmuir had to venture out of his area to once again stop the predator Seriff who was well served by his team mates Krosrowpour and Sheerin.
It was all change for the East District Select at the interval when the contingent for the Dundee area took centre stages but they would also suffer an early blow before they could settle.
Within minutes a smart move involving Mullen and Dickson left Kevin Fotheringham to finish in style.
The East Select never recovered from the set back and substitute keeper Andrew McGilvery at the other end was left more or less a spectator for the remainder of the game.
Michael Mullen would add a third just before the hour mark, his downward header giving the keeper no chance and left the home side in a comfort zone. Michael was replaced minutes later to give all the squad a decent time to impress.
So the constant movement off the subs bench failed to disturb the rhythm of the West District Select and predatory David McKay, always searching for a goal obliged when he found some space and time to stroke a low drive into the back of the net.
Then in the final 10 minutes a quick double from Fotheringham completed the nights work and gave him a deserved hat-trick. Working his socks off he got into position to roll the ball home from close range then two minutes later a total contrast with wonderful angled shot dispatched into the far top corner added sparkle to his display.
Now it’s the hard work for Bruce McNaught and his management team, spoilt for choice they have to name a pool of players for the trip to Slovenia soon.
Match Report by John Rodgers (SAFA Publicist)
