Below-par Dunfermline down to third tier
DUNFERMLINE 0 QUEEN’S PARK 1 (agg 0-1)
Queen’s Park’s dream of backto-back promotions took a step nearer reality as a late strike from substitute Simon Murray earned them a place in the Championship play-off final against Airdrieonians, while condemning 10-man Dunfermline to relegation to the third tier.
“We now have the opportunity to get promoted,” said a delighted Spiders’ head coach John Potter.
“And, if we play like we’ve been doing lately, then we have a great chance of getting to the Championship, which would be brilliant.”
With both sides having failed to find the net during Tuesday night’s first-leg encounter, an early strike would have been seen as highly desirtable.
There were chances at either end during a hectic opening spell of the game.
First, Queen’s striker Luca Connell saw his close-range effort saved by Pars goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk after two minutes, and Liam Polworth being denied by Calum Ferrie at the other end not long after.
A relentless period of Dunfemline pressure then followed, with Ryan Dow, Steven Lawless and Ambrose all squandering decent chances to give the home side a half-time lead.
With just over half-an-hour remaining, Pars defender Efe Ambrose was shown a straight red card for a foul on Murray.
As the game lurched towards extra time, Murray drove home Queen’s Park’s winner in the final minute to clinch the tie and condemn the East End Park side to relegation.
“We beat ourselves today,” reflected a sombre Dunfermline manager John Hughes after the game.
“It’s very raw just now, the players are hurting.
“However, we need to take it on the chin and get this club back to where it belongs.”
AIRDRIEONIANS 6 MONTROSE 3 (aet, 90 min 4-3, agg 6-5)
An amazing game at Penny Cars Stadium saw Airdrie fightback from 4-1 down to take the tie to extra time.
Then, in the additional halfhour, they went on to bag their place in the play-off final against Queen’s Park.
Airdrie boss Ian Murray said: “We looked at the comebacks by Real Madrid and Rangers, which proved that anything can happen in football.
“It has been a very punishing schedule and I offer my commiseration to Montrose.
“I thought our players were exceptional and they reacted so well to the chance. We can enjoy this success for a few days.”
Montrose manager Stewart Petrie said: “When you concede four goals like we did, then you give your opposition every chance.
“Smith took his goals well, though, but I feel for my players at this time as they have put so much into this season.
“All the best to Airdrie, although we ran them close over the two games.”
Diamonds hat-trick hero Callum Smith said: “It was a brilliant performance by us and we deserved all we got. We knew we could do it, despite being behind, as we were ready for extra-time in any event.”
The visitors took the lead in the second leg after 10 minutes when full-back Cammy Ballantyne was able to cross from the left and his namesake Cammy F Ballantyne had time and space to head the ball into the net.
On 26 minutes, a repeat cross from the left by Lewis Milne saw Ballantyne force the ball into the net for his own and his side’s second goal.
Smith’s drive forward in 33 minutes followed by a 20-yard net-bound shot was turned away for a corner by Allan Fleming, while Craig Watson’s header from Scott Agnew’s corner was cleared off the line by Ballantyne just on half-time.
With 52 minutes played, a Dylan Easton 30-yard effort struck the bar, though, a minute later, a superb run by Smith to the edge of the box was followed up by a powerful shot into the net to reduce the deficit.
Milne then scored from a Montrose breakaway, but Smith lashed home Airdrie’s second in 70
minutes, then netted again from Rhys Mccabe’s through ball in 76 minutes.
Three minutes from time, a mistake by Fleming saw Calum Gallagher force the ball into net for Airdrie’s fourth goal.
Jordan Allan’s hold-up play saw Jon Afolabi drill a low shot into the net past Fleming to put Airdrie in front on the 105th minute. Gabby Mcgill fired home for 6-4 in time added on, though the Gable Endies’ Martin Rennie added a consolation headed goal just before the end.
Jon Afolabi scores Airdrieonians’ first goal in extra time against Montrose