It was finally back to the bread and butter today, we travelled to take on Airdrie United in our first league fixture since Boxing Day.  Having comfortably beaten Motherwell on Monday night in the 4th round of the Active Nation Scottish Cup we went into today on a high.  Manager Terry Butcher made two changes to Monday's starting eleven, with Jonny Hayes and Russell Duncan dropping to the bench. Coming in were Lionel Djebi-Zadi, returning from suspension and Dougie Imire, who made a big impression over Motherwell scoring the second goal.

On his 500th appearance for ICT, Ross Tokely captained the side and we started the game very brightly creating three chances in the opening ten minutes.  Within two minutes we pressed Airdrie goalkeeper Stephen Robertson into action when Richie Foran threatened with a header but Robertson held onto the ball. 

Shortly afterwards Dani Sanchez spotted the Airdrie keeper off his line and tried his luck from just inside the opposition's half but Robertson managed to backpedal in time and pushed the ball away one handed.  Dani Sanchez then came even closer when he slid in and met a Richie Foran cross from the left but the Spaniard was unlucky to see the ball cannon back off the crossbar.

Lee Cox picked a yellow card for a foul on the half-way line.  Dani Sanchez was once again denied by the woodwork, this time he saw his low drilled shot from 18 yards come back off the post as we searched for a deserved opener.

It finally arrived when two minutes before the half-time interval and we were awarded a penalty.  Home defender Marc Smyth's short back pass was seized upon by the alert Richie Foran who was then pulled down by goalkeeper Stephen Robertson.  Regular penalty taker Adam Rooney fired home into the left hand side of the goalkeeper for his 12th goal of the season.

Into the second half and we continued to dominate the game, however we could not find that killer second goal despite creating numerous chances.

With 56 minutes gone Richie Foran rose well to head towards goal but Airdrie keeper Robertson, who was performing well tipped the ball over the bar for a corner, which came to nothing.  Irishmen Foran and Rooney linked up well shortly afterwards but Adam fired his shot wide of goal.

Dani Sanchez's luck in front of goal continued to desert him shortly before the end when ex-ICT defender Tom Parratt hooked his goal bound effort off the goal line as he attempted to make it 2-0.  The second goal never arrived but a fully deserved three points made their way back up the A9 as we moved onto the 31 point mark.

Full-time score: Airdrie United 0 - ICT 1 (Rooney 43 mins)

ICT Team

Esson

Tokely, Bulvitis, Munro, Djebi-Zadi

Proctor, Cox

Imrie, Sanchez, Foran

Rooney

Subs: Allison (GK), Odhiambo, Duncan for Sanchez (82 mins), Stratford, Hayes for Foran (89 mins)