Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Rovers hit late leveller after spot-kick woe
ALBION ROVERS ................................... 1 ANNAN ATHLETIC ................................ 1
Albion Rovers boss Brian Reid admits he’s bemused that his side weren’t given a first-half penalty in the 1-1 draw with Annan that hesays wasin the “stone wall er” category.
It certainly looked like a strong claim as annan defender Cammy Clark appeared to wrestle Rovers star Matty Aitken tothe ground insidethe box, but referee Matthew Macdermid was having none of it.
Rovers wenton to snatch a point at the death through Sam jamie son, levelling Iain Anderson’s terrific acrobatic overhead kick goal.
Reid was reasonably content with his lot, as Rovers wentthree points clear of Breciat the bottom of league two, half. h n but say she seen penalties given for a lot less.
He said: “i thought possibly we shouldhave had a penalty in the first
“The referee is looking at it, and I don’t know why he can’t give a penalty there.
“I watch Premier League in England all the time and if someone blows on somebody in the box it’s a penalty.
“That for me is a stonewaller, ifyou look at how they’re meantto give penalties nowadays.
“That could have changed the game –we didn’t get it unfortunately.”
Reid admits the clash at Cliftonhill wasn’t forthe purist but says his Rovers side must learn to be more street-wise.
Headded: “it was a scrappy game, there wasn’t much in itin the first half, certainly. It wasa windy day on a dry, bobbly pitch.
“I thought we looked a bit leggy , even from earlier on, we looked tired.
“I’m not making excuses, buti thought we looked heavy-legged, and in the second half they probably handled it better thanus, albeit again with nothing really in it.set pieces and long throw-ins in to the box was the biggest threat they had.
“They got the goal from a deep cross and to be fair the boy had a great finish. It could have gone anywhere, butit has gone into the net.
“It’s hard one on harry stone, because he deserved a clean sheet.he’s a top goal keeper, i thought he was good, and if he can’t save it you know it’s well hit.
“There’s no better time to geta goal than with the last kick of the ball, it makes you feel a wee bit better.”
Rovers’ draw cameafter a narrow 2-1 defeat at hometo Edinburgh City last Tuesdaynight.
As the advertiser wentto press they were dueto host Queen’s Park last night, with a trip to Cowdenbeath up next on thursday.