Motherwell
were dumped out of the CIS Insurance League Cup by local
rivals Airdrie courtesy of a Keith Lasley own goal.
The
high-flying First Division side proved too strong for
struggling 'Well after they took the lead early in the
game through an Owen Coyle penalty.David Kelly levelled
for the Scottish Premier League side after the break but,
with just five minutes of the game remaining, Lasley rammed
the ball into his own net to hand the win to the Diamonds.
This
Lanarkshire derby demonstrated that the gulf between the
top of the First Division and second bottom of the SPL
is not a large one with Airdrie matching Motherwell in
all departments.For all Motherwell's pressure in the early
minutes of the game, they struggled to create anything
in front of goal and it was the home side who threatened
first.
Coyle
fed the ball through to Mark Roberts as he burst towards
goal but Coyle's pass was too long and cleared by goalkeeper
Mark Brown after five minutes.After 11 minutes referee
Kevin Toner pointed to the spot after ruling that Karl
Ready had brought down Kevin James.Coyle calmly slid the
ball past Brown.
Coyle
was looking dangerous for the Diamonds and he managed
to get on the end of a James cross but the striker hooked
the ball well wide of the post.As the game approached
the half hour mark, Motherwell almost got back into the
game when Eddie Forrest's opportunist drive from 20 yards
was well saved by Ferguson.
Sandy
Stewart produced a great clearance from Stephen Pearson
to maintain Airdrie's lead.Coyle produced an inch-perfect
cross from the left wing but Lee Gardner's superb diving
header was just inches wide of the upright.Airdrie were
left regretting that miss two minutes later.Stewart tried
desperately to clear a Steven Hammel cross and smacked
the ball off the underside of the crossbar - but Kelly
pounced for Motherwell to bullet home a header from the
rebound to level the scores.
Airdrie
were unlucky not to go ahead again following a goalmouth
scramble that saw both McFarlane and Roberts denied before
goalkeeper Brown eventually cleared.
With
just five minutes to go, Airdrie clinched the win.A long
throw from Paul Armstrong was met by James, he flicked
the header towards goal and Lasley, with plenty of space
and under no pressure, fired the ball into his own net.
Airdrie:
Ferguson, Armstrong, McPherson,
Stewart, McManus, James,
Gardner, MacFarlane, Coyle, Roberts, Smith
Subs:
Beesley, McDonald, Taylor, Dunn, Bennett
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