Angry Loons boss hits out at ‘criminal’ defending

Three Airdrie goals in six minutes condemn Loons to shock opening day defeat

FORFAR ATHLETIC 1 AIRDRIE 3

Forfar manager Jim Weir insisted his side beat themselves as the Loons snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in their League One opener.

Airdrie stunned Forfar and everyone in the Station Park crowd – including their own travelling support – with three goals in six minutes late on to take the points and leave Weir and his players shell-shocked.

“It was just criminal. It was terrible, terrible defending,” Weir said, reflecting on the late goal blitz that cost his side.

“You are never comfortable in football. You do need to put games beyond teams but you can’t win games two or three nil every week. Sometimes you have to see games out one nil.

“I am obviously disappointed, really disappointed to lose the game the way we did. I think we beat ourselves.”

The Diamonds had looked dead and buried without a shot of note to their name until the final 10 minutes when late strikes from Ryan Conroy, Leighton McIntosh and Joao Vitoria grabbed the win. Forfar were comfortable until that point despite leading by just a single first half goal from Dale Hilson.

But Forfar’s implosion changed the outcome entirely.

“Football is like that,” Weir said. “For long periods of time we were on top. We should have had the game out of sight and I thought we were controlling the game.

“Their substitutions gave them a wee lift and you could see that because they were involved in the goals. But I would say it was very poor defending from us.

“As much as putting the ball in the back of the net, defending is an art. I think we were exciting to watch and passed the ball well. There were some really exciting performances. But ultimately it is about winning games and you have got to have that streetwise mentally to see games out.”

But that is just what happened as the game turned on its head in the last 10 minutes.

Forfar had made the breakthrough in the 40th minute with a brilliant counterattack that tore open the Diamonds.

Hilson burst forward from his own half and sped past the static defence before finding John Baird. He drew the keeper and returned the pass for Hilson to hit high into the unguarded net.

Forfar were in control and looked set to see the game out but Airdrie hit them with the unlikeliest of late comebacks.

First, Vitoria slipped past Rangers loanee Aidan Wilson in the 80th minute and hit a shot which keeper Marc McCallum only blocked, allowing Conroy to slam high into the net.

Then, three minutes later McIntosh fired Airdrie in front, calmly lobbing the keeper inside the box as Forfar again failed to clear at the back.

The points were sealed in the 86th minute when Vitoria controlled a header into the box and shot home from 12 yards.

Picture: SNS Group. Dale Hilson: Scored in the first half for Forfar but his team conceded three in the second half to start the season off with a defeat.