Forfar Farmington welcomed Airdrie United to Station Park for a 3rd Round Hensons Projects Scottish Cup tie, with the temperature dropping steadily from the mornings sweltering conditions.

With another week of training on the Station Park 3G under their belts, the Farmington team looked to take the game to the visitors with Emma McCulley shooting straight at Airdrie keeper McSherry and Kelly Clark blazing a shot over the bar. Airdrie looked to retain possession and did so to good effect; limiting Farmington’s access to clear cut goal opportunities. The 14th minute saw Alana Bruce and Nicky Grant combine well down the right flank with the formers cross knocked towards goal by McCulley with only a fine save from McSherry keeping the score level. The Airdrie keeper denied McCulley again in the 18th minute, and stood up well to save from Heron a minute later as the home side continued to scorn chances. Heron was blocked two minutes later with the subsequent rebound cracking off the bar and the second rebound being fired high over said crossbar by Bruce. The breakthrough finally came in the 27th minute when a fantastic run and cut back from Bruce teed up Lucy Graham to fire home with authority. Three minutes later that lead was doubled when Bruce, again the architect, fired across goal for McCulley to stretch and knock the ball home at the back post. Despite falling two goals behind Airdrie, with only ten players at their disposal, continued to press when possible and indeed had the ball in the net in the 33rd minute but saw it chalked off for offside. Bruce completed a hat-trick of assists in the 39th minute when she crossed for Heron to nod home at the back post.

The improved strike rate shown in the closing stages of the first half failed to manifest itself in the second period as further chances went a begging. Sam Milne fired wide soon after kick off and Graham stung the palms of McSherry a minute later. Heron headed into McSherry’s hands in the 59th minute, the Airdrie keeper having to pull off a sharp save. Heron and Milne would trade further attempts in the minutes subsequent with substitute Aimee Godfrey only able to find the side netting in the 65th minute. Heron fired wide five minutes later and both Abbi Grant and Nicola Davidson would fire off target when presented with opportunities prior to referee Kenny Beats bringing proceedings to a close.

Although Farmington will see their name included in the next round draw, Head Coach Mark Nisbet admitted to being disappointed at the number of chances wasted by his side, with a more clinical edge required for next Sunday’s SWPL joust with Spartans at Station Park.

Mark Nisbet Post Match