Airdrie need Ayr space over the drop

Airdrieonians................ 2 Queen’s Park ................ 1

Mark Pirie

Airdrieonians manager Stephen Findlay reckons it isn’t clashes against the top teams in League One that will define their season - it’s results over the likes of Queen’s Park.

Defender David Brownlie headed home in the third minute to give the hosts and early lead, and St Mirren loanee Darryl Duffy doubled the lead from the spot after Dale Carrick was brought down.

Adam Cummins pulled one back in 86 minutes for the Spiders.

It set up a nervous finish for the Excelsior Stadium faithful, with Cummins again coming close in stoppage time.

However, a reaction save from Rohan Ferguson meant the New Broomfield side held on for the three points.

The Diamonds prepare to face Ayr this Saturday with the Somerset Park side holding on to ambitions of a title-challenge and promotion push.

The New Broomfield men sit in mid-table, but have closed the gap on the play-off places to four points.

Gaffer Findlay is still fully focused on avoiding the relegation run-in, but feels that taking away anything from Somerset Park would be a huge bonus.

“It’s not games against the very top teams in this division that will define our season or show us where we will end up,”he told the Advertiser.

“No matter who it is we want to get the three points - but when you come up against the likes of Ayr and Raith anything you can take from the game is a bonus.

“They are top teams coming into a crucial part of their season.

“We have got to take the points from the teams closer to where we are in the table and avoid being sucked into the fight at the bottom of the league.

“That is what is most important for the rest of this season.”

He hopes an impressive end to the campaign will allow him to put his stamp on Airdrie next term.

“The board and the players have all been fantastic with me.

“We just need to concentrate on picking up as many points as we can and see where that takes us.

“When you look at where this group of players have come from already this season it is already an achievement.

“I have said it before, but my remit when I came in was to make sure Airdrie were a League One club at the end of the season.

“That’s still my goal, but there is enough positives that we can take into the rest of the season, and beyond that into next year.

“I’ve got a chance to make my own mark on the team over the next 18 months with my new deal and I’m looking forward to that chance.”