DIAMOND PLEASERS
Rhys joy at routing Bairns
Airdrie player-boss Rhys McCabe hailed his troops after his interval pep-talk inspired a second-half rout of Falkirk.
Calum Gal lagher got the Diamonds off to a f lier in 21 minutes as he slotted in the rebound when Lewis Jamieson’s shot was parried by PJ Morrison.
Gallagher added a second just after the hour when Falkirk failed to clear their lines from a corner then subs Gabby McGill and Salim Kouider-Aissa added late strikes for a bit of polish.
McCabe said: “Going on the second-half performance four was about right, without being disrespectful to Falkirk.
“I didn’t think we were at it first half. We struggled to get to grips with their rotation and movement, especially middle to top.
“But we came in at half-time and spoke about it. I think you saw in the second half that, once we had got to grips with it, we started moving the ball and came away comfortable winners.
“I’m delighted for big Salim. He’s been out for a long time with a serious injury and has been putting in the hard yards.
“Gal has made a career out of it – I’ve seen him have the worst game in the world but he can still come up with a hat-trick. He’s one of those players who always seems to do well against Falkirk. “Everybody gave us so much today and with Gal that’s the icing on the cake with two goals.” Airdrie created the first real chance in eight minutes when McCabe’s curling free-kick was cleared by keeper Morrison . Falk i rk should have taken the lead in 20 minutes.
Juan Alegria got the break of the bal l and picked out Ca l lum Morrison but his low shot was taken at the second attempt by Murray Johnson.
Airdrie raced up field and took the lead when Lewis Jamieson made a mazy run through the defence and fired in a shot that Morrison blocked, only for the alert Gallagher to follow up for a tap-in.
The Bairns went close to an equaliser in 36 minutes when Morrison’s cross from the left was cleared only as far as Aidan Nesbitt, but his shot flew wide. McCabe’s side made sure of the points in 61 minutes when Falkirk didn’t clear a corner and Gallagher tapped in again. Goal No. 3 came in 85 minutes when Frizzell set up McGill to blast into the net.
And fel low bench- man Kouider-Aissa helped himself to the fourth when McCabe’s free-kick wasn’t cleared. Fal k i rk gaf fer John McGlynn ( left) said: “I thought the first half was very open. We started the game really well but never took the advantage. “There were chances at both ends, we had a couple of warnings before they scored and we didn’t heed them.”