Scott Craig’s Under 17s side were victors on the road once again, putting the Saints to the sword on Friday night in Perth.

Kayden Reid and Jayden Creer both missed the match through illness, meaning Lewis Lindsay was given the nod in goals meanwhile Valentino Taouss slotted into the centre of defence.

A quickfire chance arose for the hosts inside two minutes, as a half-volley came crashing off the post following a cross from the right wing.

Kaleb Donnachie was presented with a golden opportunity up the other end on eight minutes, but Saints goalie Caeden Jack was on hand to save his strike.

The Diamonds took control of the match following the ten-minute mark, as chances for Stephen McKay and Darryl McMutrie went begging.

Airdrie were punished for their lack of conviction 17 minutes in, when the home side worked the ball into a dangerous area before Aidan Kerr slammed home from close range.

Donnachie got himself in good positions yet again in the 20th and 24th minutes, but he was unable to divert the ball into the net on both occasions.

The home side very nearly doubled their advantage with a long-range strike, but Lindsay managed to get a fingertip to the ball, pushing it onto the crossbar with an outstanding stop.

Sam Gallagher showed great composure to sweep the ball into the back of the net in the 38th minute, earning the Diamonds a well-deserved equaliser.

Airdrie weren’t long in creating another chance, as McKay slipped the ball through for Guy Bainbridge, who was blatantly fouled as he raced through on goal – winning the Diamonds a spot kick which he thumped into the net as he so often does.

Bainbridge almost doubled his tally on the stroke of half time when Jack presented the ball to him 25 yards from goal, but the skipper was unable to keep his curler below the crossbar with the goal gaping.

Airdrie went into the second half with a deserved yet precarious lead, which was soon made more comfortable as in-form attacker Darryl McMutrie raced through on goal and finished well to continue his hot streak in front of goal.

Trialists Abu Bamba and Antoni Bialkowski entered the fray ten minutes into the second period, and Bialkowski found himself quickly involved as he curled over the crossbar after a good ball from Gallagher.

Ten minutes later, Bialkowski found himself in a great position once again as he plucked Marcus Wallace’s cross-field pass from the sky and lashed just wide.

McKay left an opposing defender’s head spinning on 74 minutes, but his strike was held by the goalkeeper as Airdrie hunted a fourth goal.

It was trialist Bialkowski who would find Airdrie’s fourth and final goal of the evening, as he sprinted through to meet a fantastic Fealy through ball before poking the ball into the bottom corner for his first goal as a Diamond.

Airdrie played out the match comfortably for another fantastic victory, leaving the Diamonds in fifth place but with games in hand which could see them as high as second before the league splits next month.