High fives for Cove but Fyvie insists Airdrie remain a threat

were several signs that Fraser Fyvie’s 94th-minute equaliser was a significant strike in League One – but you won’t hear the midfielder claiming it was a title decider.

The Cove Rangers management team were mobbed as Airdrie players sat slumped with heads between their knees, then lined up on the half-way line for an all-out Hail Mary attack before the final whistle. Moments earlier away team goalkeeper Stuart Mckenzie had sought approval to join the attack at the allor-nothing injury time corner – but Fyvie’s spectacular looping 25-yard equaliser hit the net before the goalkeeper had even left his half and both ended up dancing in the dugout with their team-mates.

It was a fitting finale to a top-of-the-table clash, one of Fyvie’s best, an equaliser celthere ebrated like a winner. “It’s debatable between that one and [earlier in the season] at Queen of the South, but this one’s a bit more important,” the midfielder said.

“It sat up nicely and I thought ‘reverse it’ and get a good connection. Sometimes they go way over the stand and sometimes they go in, but thankfully this one gets us an important point as I thought Airdrie were also excellent.”

For more than 90 minutes the hosts thought they had made ground in the title race with Gaby Mcgill’s scrambled second-minute goal, only to have their hopes dashed by Fyvie. He not only earned a point for Paul Hartley’s team, almost as importantly for this stage of the season, he denied Cove’s closest rivals a win and maintained a five-point advantage at the top with five games to go.

It’s a healthy lead, but asked if the equaliser was a significant step towards the title Fyvie countered “I don’t think so, I think we’ve taken a big step in keeping it at five points, to be honest.

“It is really important for us to try and keep the gap. We were looking at added time, they’re 1-0 up and we’re thinking [the gap is] down to two now but then a little bit of quality from myself and we keep it at five, with five to play.

“In no way is it over and done with. I think it goes right to the death. You can see they’re a good side and they’ve got players who can hurt you.”