Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Lack of luck is rued but it’s a point earned
Albion Rovers .. 0 Peterhead .. 0 Darren Young admitted he was happy to hold on for the point at Cliftonhill against relegation rivals Peterhead.
The game was a real six-pointer with just one-point separating the two sides at kick-off — with Rovers sitting in the relegation play-off place.
However, Young feels that a draw was a fair result - and thinks the Blue Toon and Rovers both have reasons to feel hard done by.
Theo Archibald and Ross Stewart were causing problems for Peterhead all afternoon, but couldn’t break the deadlock.
With five minutes left, Mark Ferry’s short back pass was caught by Peterhead striker Rory McAllister. As the striker broke through on goal he was hauled to the ground by Rovers stopper RC Stewart.
Controversially, referee Stephen Finnie judged the foul to be outside the box and only worthy of a yellow card.
There was still time for more drama, as in the last minute of the game Rovers centre-back Ross Dunlop leaped highest from a corner, only to see his bullet header cleared off the line.
Young thinks on the balance of play they could have won the game, but was satisfied to take the point and build.
The Coatbridge men had lost their last three games, and Young was happy to stop the rot.
“When we look back at the game now we can either say we were lucky or unlucky,”said the gaffer.
“At the end of the game Ross (Dunlop) had a header cleared off the line, so if that goes in we steal it and leapfrog them.
“I’m sure they would point to Mark Ferry’s pass back and RC Stewart’s foul as a turning point for them.
“It was a bit short and Ross has to come for it, he gives away the foul and it’s just a yellow. Maybe that’s a bit of luck that it’s only a yellow.
“Both teams had their chances and we didn’t take them.
“For us that needs to change, but it gives us a foundation to build on. “We have the more games to play than our rivals. “You would rather have points, but I think we can have a good last quarter.”