Diamonds off to strong start

Forfar Athletic ................ 1 Airdrieonians.................. 3 A six-minute blitz sealed a fantastic opening day win for Airdrie away to Forfar.

The Diamonds trailed 1-0 as the game entered its final 10 minutes.

But some inspired substitutions turned the game on its head and goals from Ryan Conroy, Leighton McIntosh and Joao Vitoria made it a memorable away-day for the travelling support.

Airdrie started well and came close through Darryl Duffy, but his shot from a tight angle flashed wide of the target.

Less than five minutes before half-time, though, Forfar took the lead.

A sweeping counter attack ended with John Baird squaring the ball for fellow attacker Dale Hilson and he tapped the ball into the empty net.

Airdrie nearly equalised before the break but Sean Crighton’s netbound header was well cleared off the line.

In the second half, Airdrie’s performance level dipped and they introduced Joao Vitoria, Leighton McIntosh and Cammy Russell as Stephen Findlay’s men chased a result.

Vitoria grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and created the Diamond’s equaliser with a moment of magic in the 80th minute.

The forward turned Ross Meechan inside-out down the left flank before his cross was parried by Marc McCallum, allowing Ryan Conroy to slam home from close range.

Three minutes later, Airdrie took the lead when Crighton’s long ball met McIntosh, who lobbed the ball over a stranded McCallum.

Vitoria sealed the vitory in the 86th minute when he controlled a Forfar clearance with his chest before drilling a near-post shot into the bottom corner.