Gray day for Armadale
Liam’s late strike seals battle of the Thistles
Armadale Thistle gained revenge for last season’s late defeat against Bathgate Thistle by inflicting similar pain on their rivals at Creamery Park.
When the two sides last met, at Volunteer Park in April, Bathgate struck twice in the dying stages to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory.
On a bitterly cold December afternoon, it was Armadale’s turn as Liam Gray struck in the final minute to give the managerless Jags their second consecutive away victory and lift them into 13th spot in what has been a frustrating campaign.
Along with it being a local derby, there was a bit of extra spice with the hosts fielding several ex-Armadale players and it was one of those who had the game’s first chance as Robbie Feeney couldn’t turn a cross the right side of the woodwork.
At the other end, Bathgate goalie Michael Watson had to be alert at his near post to stop a fizzing effort find the net.
Stevie Weir, who has been one of three players helping out with the coaching and team selection since the departure of James McAllister, fired over the bar from close range after he got on the end of a deep cross as the visitors began to enjoy the better of the play.
Darren Dalrymple’s delightful cross was then headed home by Feeney for the hosts, only to be ruled out for offside.
The game then swung in Armadale’s favour when Darren McIntosh’s poor clearance was pounced on by the visitors with Weir racing through on goal only to be brought down illegally by McIntosh.
The former Broxburn Athletic striker duly dusted himself off and fired
straight down the middle. Watson didn’t dive, but the sheer power of the effort saw it go past him as Armadale took the lead.
Feeney would again miss when well-placed as he blazed over the crossbar from close range as the home side proceeded to miss chance after chance but couldn’t get the better of the stubborn defence.
The pattern of play would be the same after the interval with Hassan Nyang and Sid Easton both unable to find the target with headers.
With the home side going all out for an equaliser, it did leave them vulnerable to a counter- attack and Weir almost doubled his side’s lead but dragged his shot just wide.
Bathgate would eventually find the equaliser when another former Armadale player, David Taylor, was on-hand to sweep home after a cross fell kindly into this path. It was to be an all too familiar story for Andrew Colley’s men, though, as they created more than enough chances to win the contest but couldn’t put them away.
And they were made to pay the price for that as the visitors had the final say in a feisty affair when substitute Gray jinked his way through three Jags defenders before slotting past Watson in the dying stages to seal a memorable victory and win earn his side the derby bragging rights in style.
Armadale will be hoping the derby day victory will be the catalyst they need to turn their season around.
However, the challenges don’t come much tougher than the visit of promotion challengers Sauchie who will be making the trip to Volunteer Park on Saturday.