Airdrie 0
Dundee Utd 5
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Airdrie manager Bobby Watson is, if notliing else, a sound judge both of the weather and of the performances of his side (which might be well worth missing). Holidaying as he is in Tenerife, the Airdrie boss managed to miss out on a cold Broomfield and a performance by his Airdrie side which bore all the hall marks of a post Rangers shell shock.

The final margin of defeat will not make pleasant reading for Watson, but it could, and iiideed should, have been worse because Dundee United for much of this game treated the Broomfield men with undue respect. Davie Dodds was the man who started the rot for Airdrie, finishing off a fine Kirkwood and Sturrock move on the left by sliding the ball low into the net from eiglit yards. That was how it stood at half-time.

For some time thereafter until Airdrie brought on their substitute, Davie Thompson. The youngster must be wishing they hadn't bothered, for within minute of his arrival he had twice fouled Eammon Bannon and for these sins Bannon exacted full revenge. Foul number one was punished by Eamonn Bannon slotting the resultant spot-kick behind Martin, and foul number two was equally disastrous for Alrdrle as, from Bannon's free-kick, Hegarty's header brought a great save from Martin, only for Paul Sturrock to push the loose ball into the net. If Dodds started Airdrie's decline he was also the man to finish the job, completing his hat-trick wilh a couple of quick goals near the end. First Davie Dodds took a Kopel pass past a floundering Airdrie defence before slipping the ball home and then Davie Dodds smashed a spectiicular volley.