Callum Fordyce says Airdrie have nothing to be scared of when Dundee United visit the Excelsior for Tuesday night’s Hallowe’en fixture.

Jim Goodwin’s side are in rampant form at the top of the cinch Championship, winning their last two matches by 5-0 and 6-0 scorelines, but Diamonds defender Fordyce insists that Airdrie believe they can beat anyone at home.

The match comes hot on the heels of a frustrating away defeat on Saturday, with Inverness taking the points thanks to a solitary David Wotherspoon strike.

Fordyce thinks the match could have gone either way.

“We’re disappointed, obviously, to go up there and lose. We probably deserved something out of the game, but we maybe didn’t create enough clear-cut chances - it was all half-chances, and credit to them, they defended really well.

“Speaking to a few of their players after the game, they said the second 45 they were under the cosh. They defended well, they had a good shape, and we probably didn’t have enough quality in the final third.”

Results elsewhere meant the Diamonds stayed fourth in the table despite Saturday’s scoreline, and Fordyce knows that he and his team-mates have yet to properly hit their stride.

“In terms of where we are, fourth after the first quarter - If you ask us at the start of the season, I think anybody would bite your hand off, especially with how young a squad we are.

“We’re on the right track, but there’s so much more to come from us. We’re still settling into the league, understanding that teams are that wee bit more organised and have more quality players.”

While Airdrie’s player-assistant manager is more well known for keeping the door closed at the back, he has also weighed in with some important goals over his time with the club.

Although he has yet to break his duck for the season, Fordyce is happy to see others taking the goalscoring limelight.

“I can always rely on myself for four or five a season, but it’s not really fallen for me this season! I think I was unlucky in the League Cup with a couple, and in the Partick Thistle game it was probably over the line.

“I’ve been unlucky, but as long as somebody scores it doesn’t really matter!”

Appropriately enough for a Hallowe’en fixture, the Terrors are coming to the Excelsior on Tuesday evening as the table-topping Tannadice side look to continue their hot run of form.

Early and late goals determined the outcome in Dundee earlier in the season, Mathew Anim Cudjoe putting his side ahead with a fine fourth-minute finish before Kai Fotheringham grabbed a second deep into stoppage time.

The Diamonds are capable of capitalising on home advantage, according to Callum.

“They’re obviously flying at the moment, top of the league with a good squad, so it’s going to be a difficult game - but we’ve nothing to fear, especially being at home.

“We went up there and gave a great account of ourselves, and were probably unlucky to not come away with anything from the game.

“You need to make your own luck, we need to do things ourselves. We need to make sure first and foremost that we’re prepared.”

Manager Rhys McCabe believes it’s a tantalising fixture for his young squad - and that can work in Airdrie’s favour.

“They’ve done really well, and credit to them. They’re in a different stance from us as a club, the expectation levels and pressure, but they’ve handled it well and they’re sitting top.

“We can take great confidence from the game that we played up there. The best thing for us is getting another game as quickly as you can, because it gets everything out your system.

“It’ll be a totally different game from Inverness, I’d imagine - but one that we’re firmly looking forward to. These are the games that you want to play in, really testing yourself and showing what you can do.”

On the injury front, player-coach Aaron Taylor-Sinclair was included among Saturday’s substitutes after recovering from a calf knock, while fellow defender Cammy Ballantyne is back in training following a similar injury.

Referee Euan Anderson takes charge of his second Airdrie match of the season, having officiated September’s 1-0 away win over Greenock Morton.

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