Match Report - By Grant Hood

City return to the bottom rung of Ladbrokes League One after a second defeat of the season to Airdrieonians, a result which will doubtless leave City fans disappointed - but shouldn't leave them disconsolate.

A cruelly deflected shot from the most impressive home player of the day, No 11 Liam Watt, secured the 3 points for The Diamonds, seeing them into a lofty third place.

City lost out in a contest which could legitimately be described as little more than a long range shooting match, with both teams not shy of 'having-a-pop', but noteworthy efforts from within the penalty box being at an absolute premium.

The home side secured the points early in the second half with an effort from just outside the 18-yard box which took a harsh, but ultimately match-winning, deflection past 'Buzz' in the City goal.

The opening 10 minutes spell was particularly inconsequential. City survived a penalty claim for the home side - one which would have seen any set of supporters hollering for had it been in their favour - and a blindside run by Liam Watt which saw a central effort from his low cross trundle tamely wide.

The action continued with Robert Thomson shooting wide from 25 yards, and an effort from City skipper 'Tiger' Molloy driven right at the keeper after an attempt from Dene Shields was diverted into his path.

Other than a brief sojourn upfield which saw 'Buzz' hold on to a fierce 20-yard stinger from George Hunter, efforts at the home goal continued apace. Dene Shields headed on a Willie Dyer free-kick, but Andy Jackson was unable to to divert the ball goalwards. An inswinging Willie Dyer corner kick then hit the near post before a back-tracking Molloy snuffed out a dangerous home breakaway by drawing a foul in the City box.

Dene Shields then won a midfield tussle, much to to chagrin of the home fans but, sadly for the away City support, shot tamely wide. Home keeper Parry then gathered a 20-yard effort from Andy Jackson, before enterprising interplay from Jonathan Tiffoney, 'Jacko' and Robert Thomson resulted in a long range effort from City skipper 'Tiger' being comfortably gathered by the home custodian.

The Diamonds took the lead early in the second half with a goal which was entirely congruous with the attempts at goal which has preceded it. A free kick midway inside City's half was only partially cleared with the home side doing well to keep the play alive at the by-line following the initial aerial tussle. Airdrie livewire LIAM WATT evaded two ineffective challenges to fire at goal from just outside the penalty box. City fans' worst fears were realised when, with Graeme Smith rooted to the spot, the ball looped up and over, nestling in the net - to the clear joy of the homesters.

Brechin City had the home side on the back foot for a time, without really troubling the home defence. The Diamonds themselves then had a couple of efforts, firstly a shot wide from Taylor Morgan and, more significantly, an impressive thundering volley from Kevin McBride, which brought the most stunning save of the match as 'Buzz' dived low to his right to turn it wide. Shortly after, central defender Sean Crighton rose unchallenged to meet a corner from Airdrie's right, only to power his header over the City crossbar from around 6 yards out.

As the match entered its final phase, supporters endured the now conventional flurry of tactical substitutions. City midfielder Gary Fusco was cautioned for an entirely innocuous midfield challenge, and the home side's Nicolas Sumsky followed him into the referee's notebook for a slightly bizarre sequence of foul, kicking the ball away, and failing to retreat 10 yards. Kevin McBride would follow soon afterwards for an altogether more cynical foul on City substitute Craig Johnson - "a good foul to give away" most pundits would say.

City sought to ensure the home support would remain on edge right through until full-time, but credit must go to home goalie Neil Parry who adroitly coped with all the cross balls fired in by City in the vain hope of rescuing something from the game. Indeed, it was 2 minutes into added-on time when he was forced into his first stretching save of the afternoon. Ross Perry, who had been largely impervious throughout the match, stepped forward and pinged a 35-yard effort only to see Parry sprawl low to his left and gather the ball.

And so it ended. A City side, unbeaten in 3 games and going into the match with genuine confidence, find themselves once again at the bottom of League One. Darren Dods and his players will doubtless seek solace in the fact that draws elsewhere mean that most opponents remain within City's sights and will turn their attention to a crucial home game against Albion Rovers at The Glebe next weekend.

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