Airdrie back in the promotion play off hunt

An excellent first half performance from the Diamonds was enough to see them defeat Forfar by three goals to one.

There were early chances for both sides, with Forfar seeing a Dow effort saved from long range and then Sellers heading wide. At the other end, Donnelly saw a shot blocked by the keeper and Gemmill’s effort from the rebound cleared off the line.

Airdrie took the lead on 22 minutes when Owens bent a free kick over the defensive wall and his effort hit the post and rebounded into the net off the back of keeper Gallacher.

The lead only lasted nine minutes, when Ryan McQuade, on loan from St. Mirren, bent a great shot from the edge of the box high past Ridgers.

A two goal burst just before the half time whistle sealed the game for Airdrie. Owens was tripped as he burst into the box and McCord blasted the penalty home to put the home side ahead again.

Then just a minute before the break, Ryan Donnelly had all the space in the world to head home a Mackay Steven corner at the front post.

The second half was a poor affair compare to the first with neither side really creating any chances, although Gemmill did see a shot blocked on the line early on.

Airdrie boss Jimmy Boyle said after the game, “The first half was excellent, we passed the ball well, we created and took the chances and we could have got more. Delighted with the win, although we sat a bit deep in the second half.

“It keeps us in the hunt for a play off place but I am still looking over our shoulder but if we beat Forfar again on Tuesday we can start to look up.”

Forfar Assistant Boss Ian Campbell said, “Airdrie deserved their win they applied themselves better than we did. We lost goals from three set pieces which is not like us. We didn’t deserve anything from the game.”