Half-time grilling helps Pars defeat Airdrie
Matt Meade • Published 27 Aug 2012 09:30
DUNFERMLINE put last week's off-field woes to one side, dumping the Diamonds with an away victory at New Broomfield.
Goals from Andy Dowie and Stephen Husband secured the three points, but they left it late.
Perhaps the half-time roasting from Jim Jefferies bolstered a squad who squandered a series of chances in the first 45.
He said, "There were a few harsh words and they were deserved.
"We had some really good chances in the first-half, but when we got into good positions (they went) over the bar, and the quality of the passing was breaking down...we were doing stupid things."
"I told them we weren't there to draw the game, but to win it.
"When we equalised we kept going for it and got their reward which is thoroughly deserved because we were the better team."
Airdrie, who sat at the top of the table going into this clash, went ahead with a John Boyle header in the 26th minute.
Dunfermline created a series of half-chances but shots were tame and crosses flew over the bar into an empty stand.
Joe Cardle was guilty of a series of wasted efforts in a frustrating afternoon for the winger.
It left Jefferies gathering his brows like the gathering storm which saw heavy rain fall throughout the second half.
The introduction of Ryan Wallace and Craig Dargo added spark and put further pressure on a tiring Airdrie.
Andy Barrowman came close after a superb passing sequence that ended with him cracking his shot against the bar.
After the match Dowie said the gaffer "went through us, and we deserved it".
He responded to the half-time grilling in the 80th minute by bagging his first ever goal in a Pars Jersey (it's only taken him 106 games!).
Just three minutes later, Husband sealed the victory with his first goal in Scottish Football.
He said, "The gaffer's grilling at half-time helped us. He came in and said a few home truths. It was just what we needed and we came out and showed the kind of football we've been playing in training."
Describing his goal he added, "I made the run late and managed to get on the end of it. It was a good ball in from Ryan (Wallace).
"I've scored a couple on loan from Stockport so it's my third competitive goal. Playing midfield, I want to get forward and create chances as well as score them.
This gives me a platform to add to that goal tally."
Attendance: 1229
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