Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Gallagher goals help fire Airdrie up table
AIRDRIEONIANS .................................... 3
EAST FIFE ................................................ 0
Ian Murray has hailed “stalwart” Calum Gallagher after the striker propelled them to back-to-back league wins in the last week.
Gallagher netted the opener in a 2-1 win over Alloa on Tuesday and followed that up with a double in a 3-0 home win over 10-man East Fife on Saturday.
Murray says the 26-year-old former Rangers and St Mirren hit man has been through a lot this season and he’s delighted to have him in the side.
He said: “It’s great for Gal, he’s been a real stalwart for us over the last two seasons.
“He’s had a few problems himself with Covid and a wee bit of lack of form, but that goes hand-in-hand with what he’s had to deal with.
“It’s never in doubt with Gal; if he’s available to play he pretty much plays every week, he’s a very experienced striker, knows the league well, is always there or thereabouts in front of goal.
“Of course he’ll miss some, like all strikers, but he’s always there when you need him.
“He’s a very reliable player for us.” It’s been a great week for the Diamonds on the park as they climbed up to fifth in the League One table.
And Murray added: “It was really important that we followed up Tuesday’s win with another home win, regardless of how we got there.
“To win in the manner that we did, and with a clean sheet, was great, and then scoring three goals as well.
“The game changes as you go on, and the red card [for East Fife’s Daniel Higgins after 30 minutes] obviously was a big moment, but I felt we started the game, apart from that, very well, looked in control, and then we saw it out really well.
“All round, it has been a really good week, with five goals and one conceded, which helped move us up the league and certainly helped our goal-difference as well.”
Gallagher’s contribution followed on from a great win in midweek, where he bagged the opener against the Wasps.
Adam Frizzell won the match with an outstanding strike, using the outside of his boot to lash the ball into the top corner from 20-yards.
And Murray said: “It was outstanding. If that goal was in a higher league we’d be waxing lyrical about it.
“It was a real moment of quality that probably gets lost because it’s in League One but that is a goal to win any match.”