Adam Frizzell warns that a different kind of test lies in store at Dumbarton on Saturday, as the Diamonds look to build on their spectacular start to the Premier Sports Cup campaign.

Ben Wilson and Lewis McGregor were hat-trick heroes as Airdrie got off to a flying start with an 8-0 home win over East Kilbride on Tuesday, with Mason Hancock and Rhys Armstrong adding to the front pair’s six-goal haul.

Attention now turns to the Marbill Coaches Stadium and Stevie Farrell’s Dumbarton, and it’s a return to an old stomping ground for Diamonds captain Frizzell, who spoke after Tuesday’s match.

“I’ve been there on loan and had a wee short spell actually signed, so I know it’s a very difficult place to go.

“It’s not the same as tonight, a big free-flowing pitch – I’d imagine it’ll be decent at this time of year, but they’re a different sort of outfit. I don’t think they’ll try to play the way East Kilbride did.

“It’s a different task for us to go there and break them down, but the goals were flying in tonight, so hopefully that continues on Saturday!”

Dumbarton, who returned to League 1 via last season’s play-offs, have one point to show for their two matches in Group A, drawing 1-1 with East Kilbride on the opening day before losing the bonus point shoot-out.

Tuesday’s defeat at Queen of the South means that Saturday’s game is win or bust for the Sons, but Frizzell insists Airdrie are in the same position despite their thrilling start.

“It’s the same in any group stage, every game is a must-win. It’s the same for us if we want to get out the group.

“If we don’t win there then we need to go and try to get a result at Pittodrie, and it becomes very difficult.

“We just need to take it one game at a time. We’ll go and try to impose our style on them on Saturday, try to break them down and see what happens.”

Tuesday’s tie at Aberdeen may be an experience that the whole squad are looking forward to, but trips to places like Dumbarton will be a new adventure for some of the players brought in over the summer.

The injection of youth brought about by the Diamonds’ squad overhaul means that Adam has found himself as one of the elder statesmen in the dressing room.

“That’s one thing about playing in cups like this, you get experience of playing in different places.

“We have a young squad, so a lot of the boys haven’t played everywhere. I’m saying that as if I’ve been around the block – I’m only 26, but I find myself in a senior position!

“It’ll be a good experience for the boys to go down there and get a taste of something different, but again three points is the main aim.”

Manager Rhys McCabe is looking forward to a first competitive test on the road for his side after putting on a show at the Albert Bartlett Stadium.

“It’s always difficult away from home, we’re not on the slick surface that we’re used to here – we’re going on to the grass and a much more narrow pitch.

“We’ll go there with the same mindset, to win. We had a successful campaign last year where we got through the group with maximum points, and ideally that’s what I’m looking to do.

“I know we’ve got difficult tasks, but with the group of players we’ve got in there, there’s loads of ability – and there’s no reason why we can’t go and implement what we did last year.”

Once again the Diamonds boss hopes to have a full squad to choose from, although his pool of talent is down by one after striker Nikolay Todorov left the club by mutual consent yesterday.

Referee Lloyd Wilson was in charge of three matches involving Airdrie last season, with two wins over Raith Rovers and a draw with Partick Thistle coming under the whistler’s watchful eye.

Admission to Saturday's match is via cash turnstiles 1 and 2, and is priced as follows:

Adults - £16
Students / over 65s - £10 (proof of concession required)
Under 16s - £5

The public bar at the Marbill Coaches Stadium will be open from 1:30pm and is accessed after entering the turnstiles.

Unfortunately we are unable to provide a live stream for this fixture. Text updates will be available on twitter @AirdrieoniansFC as usual.