Diamond smiles as Rhys eyes play-offs
AIRDRIE....... 2
DUN’LINE........ 1
RHYS McCABE is thrilled Airdrie are within a whisker of the play-offs after they beat Dunfermline.
Teenage substitute Gavin Gallagher hit a 63rd-minute winner after Malachi Fagan-Walcott cancelled out Dean McMaster’s sensational opener.
Diamonds boss McCabe, whose team drew level on points with third- place Partick, said: “It was a real six-pointer.
“We’re delighted to have got ourselves into such a good position – nine points clear of fifth place with three games to go.
“It was a fantastic strike from Dean. He’s been knocking on the door for a while now so it’s great he got his goal.”
The first half looked like being goal-less until the 45th minute when a short corner found its way to McMaster and he expertly curled the ball into the net from 25 yards.
But it had been mostly Airdrie who had threatened from Nikolay Todorov, Charlie Telfer and Gabby McGill and a fizzing shot from Callum Fordyce that Deniz Mehmet saved.
The Pars goalie was kept busy in the second half too, tipping a rasper from Adam Frizzell round the post then stopping a Todorov header.
Lewis McCann fluffed a chance for Pars but the fifth-placed side levelled on the hour-mark.
Fagan-Walcott volleyed in Matty Todd’s corner from close range at the back post.
But Airdrie retook the lead just three minutes later when sub Gallagher – only on the park for 90 seconds – chipped home for his first senior goal.
Pars boss James McPake said: “I’m disappointed. We were nowhere near the level we should be at.”