First Team
TEAM NEWS | AIRDRIEONIANS (A)
26th April 2024
The Young Terrors headed to Lanarkshire to take on Motherwell U18s searching for their first win in four matches after a stuttering run of form in both the SFA Youth Cup and the CAS Under-18s Elite League.
Ryan Moon suffering from a squad depleted by various injuries, made two changes to the side that went down against Hearts last Thursday, Craig Moore replaced by his Scotland U17s colleague Lewis O’Donnell in defensive midfield aswell as Leyton Bisland dropping out for Dom Naglik, who made a promising cameo in his last outing. The personnel changed but the shape stayed the same, Rory MacLeod spearheading a three-man midfield behind the makeshift striker of Stuart Heenan, as United lined up in their usual 4-3-3. The Steelmen settled with a 4-1-4-1 with Kian Speirs looking to distribute the ball into advanced areas from deep.
It was a frenetic opening 20 minutes but one that produced few clear-cut chances for either side. Motherwell looked for searching balls into the channels behind Sam Lovie and Miller Thompson, who both dealt with the barrage of aerial challenges impressively, whilst United struggled to settle in the centre of the pitch despite picking up the majority of the second balls.
The lively Bryan Mwangi became the source of United’s attacking threat as he began to terrorise Ally Gould with his pace, quick-feet, and off-the-ball movement. The winger left Gould in a heap before driving the ball narrowly over the bar, then had a goal-bound shot cleared by Bailey Rice on the six-yard line after neat interplay between O’Donnell and Heenan who frequently drifted into wide areas.
A marauding run from Thompson saw the 17-year-old breeze past the challenge of three white shirts and then strike for goal but his effort trundled wide of Lawton Green’s upright, and then Heenan was the recipient of the Young Terrors’ best opportunity of the first half. Mwangi found MacLeod on the edge of the area and the Scotland international executed an outrageous flick round the corner to Heenan advancing into the box off the back of Ewan Wilson. The defender recovered well and managed to put the United man under just enough pressure to put him off, Heenan stabbing his effort into the side-netting.
Arron Donald showed the extent of his range of passing when he picked out Mwangi with a clipped pass into the channel, the winger latching onto it and half-volleying wide on the angle as United continued to look for an opener.
The hosts began to retaliate with a couple of half-chances. The physicality of Mo Adam proved tricky for Lovie and Keir Bertie to deal with as he linked well with his right-back. Adam managed to get to the bye-line and flash a teasing cross along the six-yard box which was cautiously dealt with by the tangerine defence.
Soon after, Wilson sent a dipping shot goalward which had Ruaridh Adams scrambling, luckily for United it bounced the wrong side of the post. The half-time whistle sounded merely seconds later, perhaps coming at the perfect time for Moon’s side.
The match descended into a gritty midfield battle, Bertie, MacLeod, and O’Donnell covering every blade of grass to fight for the tangerine cause. However, Adams was called into action on the hour mark as he spectacularly palmed Luca Ross’ venomous shot over the bar to make sure the Young Terrors’ clean sheet remained intact.
Heenan left United wondering if they were to rue missed chances after being played through one-on-one with Green, the 16-year-old losing his composure at the vital moment and overcooking his strike.
A well-worked free-kick routine from Motherwell could’ve given them the lead as time began to run out, substitutes Max Ross and Shay Nevans combining with the former picking out the latter unmarked on the penalty spot. Luckily for United, Nevans got underneath the drilled delivery and sent it over the crossbar.
Lennon Miller put in what he thought was a game-saving challenge on MacLeod who was bearing down on goal sparking vociferous claims for a penalty which were probably in hope rather than expectation, before United were in fact awarded a spot-kick in the 87th minute for a clumsy challenge by Wilson on Kerrigan in an almost carbon copy situation. Talisman MacLeod stepped up with confidence and drove the ball under Green to spark joyous celebrations amongst the Young Terrors, the Scotland international’s fourth goal of the 2021/22 campaign securing a much-needed victory.
