AIRDRIE had a man sent-off for the fourth game in a row as they slumped to a disappointing defeat at New Broomfield.

Full-back Paul Lovering was sent-off late-on with East Fife taking full advantage and claiming a fifth win in seven games.

Airdrie were forced to make one change to the side which drew 1-1 at Dumbarton with David Lilley replacing the suspended Kevin Green at centre-back.

The home side almost took the lead in the ninth minute. A free-kick was awarded 25 yards from goal with Jamie Stevenson's deflected effort bouncing off the post.

Stevenson would get another chance from a set-piece soon after, though, when the Diamonds were awarded a penalty.

Referee Frank McDermott penalised Fifers midfielder Robert Sloan for a challenge on Jamie Bain in the area and pointed to the spot in the 19th minute.

But Stevenson's low effort wasn't powerful enough and ex-Diamonds loanee Mark Ridgers did well to dive to his right and push the ball against the post.

It was to prove a costly miss as East Fife opened the scoring in the 34th minute when Ryan Wallace latched onto Robert Ogleby's hooked ball and fired a shot past keeper Connor Fairley.

The visitors could have made it 2-0 six minutes later but Ogleby directed a Wallace cross wide of the post.

Airdrie spurned a good opportunity just before half-time with top goalscorer Ryan Donnelly blasting Stevenson's cutback over the bar.

In the 51st minute, Fairley produced a fantastic save to block from Ogleby after he got on the end of Bobby Linn's low cross as the Fifers searched for a second goal.

And Fairley earned his corn again seven minutes later with a point-blank save from the profligate Fifers striker who was clean through.

Visiting boss John Robertson would have been ruing those missed chances in the 74th minute when Airdrie equalised with Donnelly curling home after Fairley's long clearance was ushered on by Rhys Devlin.

But a dramatic four minutes saw Airdrie reduced to ten men and the Fifers score twice to clinch the points.

Lovering walked for a lunge on Linn with the resulting free-kick, from Scott Durie, headed on by Stevie Hislop for Craig Johnstone who tucked the ball past Fairley.

And it was well and truly game in the 85th minute when Wallace cut inside and found Linn who turned away from Craig Hill and planted a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Colin Paterson at New Broomfield.

Photographs © Robert Dalzell. Click to view full size.