Tuesday August 20, 2013
Ramsdens Cup round 2
Airdrieonians
0-2
Queen of the South
Lyle 45, 64
Airdrieonians were knocked out of the Ramsdens Challenge Cup on a wet Tuesday night at New Broomfield.
Man-of-the-match Derek Lyle netted a goal in each half to send the Doonhamers through to the quarter-finals of the competition.
The Diamonds fielded a side which showed nine changes from the weekend defeat to Stenhousemuir as manager Jimmy Boyle looked towards Friday evening's SPFL League One visit of Rangers.
He was rewarded with a hard-working performance and will take heart from a number of fine individual displays despite being on the wrong end of the scoreline.
Keeper Colin Stewart and veteran Garry Hay were the only starting line-up survivors as Boyle shook things up and handed a full debut to under-19s striker Kyle Richford.
There was a youthful look to the bench with John Higgins, Marcus McMillan and Scott Stewart, son of Diamonds legend and current Wigan Athletic assistant manager, Sandy, all included.
Airdrie came close to opening the scoring in the 20th minute. A Richford effort was cleared off the line after a Willie McLaren corner slipped through Calum Antell's hands with Gregor Buchanan's rebound blocked by the keeper.
Lyle had the ball in the net in the 39th minute but linesman Rodney Marshall's flag was up. Only a great save by Stewart four minutes later prevented him converting Iain Russell's cross.
Queens had built up some pressure before the break and scored in the first minute of first-half stoppage time when Lyle volleyed Chris Mitchell's cross into the corner of the net.
It was harsh on the Diamonds who faced an uphill battle to get back into the contest as the full-time Doonhamers, bossed by ex-Airdrie striker Jim McIntyre, started to dominate.
In the 56th minute, Lyle was again ruled offside, this time by linesman Frank Connor, when he touched home Danny Carmichael's effort from a Kevin Holt delivery.
At the other end, a Grant Evans cross-shot rattled Antell's bar before Queens cashed in from a corner to double their advantage and effectively seal the tie.
Mitchell's set-piece was only partially cleared by the Airdrie defence with Russell's strike parried by Stewart as far as Lyle who tapped home.
There were chances in the final moments. A Willie McLaren effort was saved by Antell with the width of a post denying Lyle his hat-trick goal.
Colin Paterson at New Broomfield.
Photographs © Robert Dalzell. Click to view full size.