Callum Fordyce says Airdrie are ready to roll their sleeves up against Morton as the battle for the play-off spots heats up.

The Diamonds moved back into fourth position with Tuesday evening’s 2-1 win at Arbroath, leapfrogging Saturday’s opponents in the process.

Defender Fordyce opened the scoring at a rain-soaked Gayfield, and the Airdrie assistant-manager was pleased with his side’s performance at a typically tricky away venue.

“It’s probably one of the best that I’ve played in, coming up to Arbroath. We actually moved the ball through the thirds at times, at times we had to go long, but when it was on to play we got into great areas. It’s credit to the boys, having those beliefs in themselves and each other.

“If we’re creating chances, eventually we’re going to score, and that’s what we did. We could have killed the game off more convincingly, but to come here and get three points at this stage of the season is all that matters.”

Substitute Gabby McGill added Airdrie’s second goal with eight minutes remaining, with Arbroath’s Jay Bird netting a consolation in stoppage-time, but it was Fordyce’s tenth Airdrie goal which got the ball rolling.

The 31-year-old was quick to praise Charlie Telfer’s corner-kick delivery, which he met with a downward header through the legs of Arbroath keeper Max Boruc.

“We’ve obviously worked on that corner a lot recently, and we’ve had right joy from it. We knew it was always going to come if the ball was right, and Chas put one right on a sixpence for me.

“It was just making sure that I got clean contact, and I was lucky enough that I did.”

With the win taking the Diamonds back into the top four, it sets up an intriguing encounter against Greenock Morton at the Excelsior on Saturday.

The sides have already met four times this season, with a win apiece at Cappielow in the league, and an uneventful 0-0 draw at the Excelsior in December.

November’s SPFL Trust Trophy quarter-final tie at Cappielow also finished goalless, with Josh Rae saving the decisive spot-kick as Airdrie went through on penalties on their way to lifting the cup.

With results and league positions suggesting that there is very little between the sides, Fordyce expects another tight affair.

“Morton are a very good side, an established Championship side. They’re well organised and well drilled, with good players and a good team spirit.

“It’s going to be a tough game, they’re a good footballing side as well, if you let them play. They can mix it up as well, so you need to stand up and be counted.

“It’s a game we’re looking forward to. We’ll give them respect, but we’ve got to go and focus on ourselves. It’s about us trying to keep that momentum going.”

And with much at stake as the end of the season draws closer, Callum is hoping to avoid a repeat of the non-event the last time the sides met in Airdrie.

“That would have got football stopped, that game - I think the ball went to hospital after it! It wasn’t great, the weather was rubbish. Hopefully there’s a wee bit more football played on Saturday.

“It’s always tight games against Morton, you’ve seen that down there. We’ll need to defend well, as will they, but we’ll analyse their game from the weekend and look to see how we can go forward.”

Manager Rhys McCabe also looked ahead to Saturday’s tie after Tuesday’s win at Gayfield.

“They’re a team who are in and around us fighting for those play-off positions, so we know the magnitude in terms of what’s expected and what’s at stake.

“The good thing is we’ve come through okay, we recover and get back to the training pitch, and we look forward to Saturday.”

The Diamonds player-boss is edging closer to a return from a hamstring injury, but will still be without goalkeeper Josh Rae (head) and midfielders Murray Aiken (ankle) and Liam McStravick (knee).

Referee Don Robertson has overseen two Airdrie matches this season, both in December - the 2-1 home defeat to Dunfermline Athletic, and the Hampden win over Queen’s Park by the same scoreline.

Match tickets are available using the link below, and our DiamondsTV video (subscribers outwith the UK & Ireland) and audio (pay-per-match worldwide) streams are also available.

Please be aware that behaviour deemed unacceptable will result in ejection from the stadium. Issues arising during the match can be reported anonymously - see the posters around the stadium for more information. Our unacceptable conduct policy can be viewed using the link below.