Airdrie 1, Morton 2: Airdrie boss sees 'pleasing aspects' as winless run continues
Danny Lennon is still searching for a first league win of the season as Morton bag late clincher
By Ian Steven
Airdrie are still searching in vain for their first Championship lwin of the season, after falling to a late winner from Dougie Imrie’s Morton in blustery conditions at New Broomfield.
The Diamonds had fought back from a Tomi Adeloye header from a corner to get back on level terms through a long distance effort from Euan Henderson.
But a Jackson Longridge header seven minutes from time crushed any hope of at least a point remaining in North Lanarkshire.
Manager Danny Lennon admitted he felt that match was tailor-made for a full-time stalemate, but was delighted with the application of his instructions and the fight displayed by the playing squad.
”There, there was a lot of pleasing aspects of the game, you know?” Lennon stated. “Without the ball, I thought our shape was good throughout. I didn’t think it was a great game of football today by both sets of players, but it was certainly one always going to be tight and for long periods in the game, it had a draw written all over it.
“ I’m taking new ideas on board. But there’s no great rocket science in terms of whatever system you go and play.
“When you’re defending the ball from wide areas, you’ve got to take responsibility when it comes into the box.
“It’s picking up the points at home, the challenging aspect of the Championship. It’s very, very competitive.
“There are a lot of good teams in it and every game, every single week, they cause a challenge and that’s what we’re in it for. We’re loving that challenge.
“We’ve got to learn, because there’s a lot of pleasing stuff within that.
“It’s disappointing and where we have to do a bit better about that throughout is from middle to top on the pitch. We’ve got to do a little bit better there and in turn try and relieve pressure.
“Morton were compact, very difficult, you don’t have seven draws in the league for nothing, and it shows you they are a difficult team to break down.”
Lennon admitted the international break and a weekend free of domestic competition for the Diamonds has arrived at the right time as Airdrie struggle to get their walking wounded patched up for the forthcoming fixtures.
“The problem at this minute in time is trying to get the players,” the manager stated.
“We’re patching players up at this moment in time throughout the working week to play on a Saturday, and I think you can only go and do that for so long before levels drop.
“So trying to get one or two key players on the grass at the minute has been a bit of a challenge since I’ve came on, to be honest.
“You’ve got to commend the boys, their spirit, the fight, but I think that’s part of being a professional football player, getting on the pitch.”