Airdrie shot to the top of the First Division after a surprisingly convincing win against Livingston.

Goals from John Boyle and Jamie Bain delighted the traveling fans in the second half after a drab first 45.

Willie McLaren dropped out of the side completely while Marc Warren replaced Gavin Griffin at left back. Jack Boyle made his first start in a Diamond up front with his namesake John.

It was Jack who got the first shot away but it went wide of the post. At the other end of the park, Livingston had a fair share of chances.

Bobby Barr played a ball over the back four to Iain Russell but he was offside. Minutes later a free kick from Stefan Scougall found a completely open Kevin McCann on the right who drifted a ball across goal and, fortunately for the visitors, out for a goal kick.

With five minutes left of the half, McCann has a shot blocked and it went out for a corner, which fell to Marc McNulty who had an overhead kick saved by Kenny Arthur.

It didn’t take long for Airdrie to break the deadlock in the second half. After just three minutes Alan Cook sent the cross into Jack Boyle whose shot was saved by Andrew McNeill but he couldn’t hold onto it and John Boyle sent home his fourth goal in two games.

Two minutes later the Lions thought they had equalised when McNulty had the ball in the back of the net but the linesman had flagged for offside.

Just after the hour mark a corner from Scougall was headed by Watson and tipped onto the bar by Arthur to keep the score 1-0, but ten minutes later the home side found themselves further behind.

Substitute Paul Di Giacamo cut inside from the left and forced McNeill into a save. The ball fell to Jamie Bain just inside the box who tapped in the second.

With ten minutes to go Di Giacamo was fouled on the edge of the box, and the resulting free kick was taken by substitute Gavin Griffin and his effort was tipped over the bar by the keeper.

Jimmy Boyle was delighted with the result, and the 100% record sees the Diamonds at the top of the table by a goal in goal difference. John Hughes was optimistic in defeat and promised to make Almondvale a fortress - something Airdrie will have to be careful of when they return next year.

Douglas Barrie at Almondvale.

Photographs © Robert Dalzell. Click to view full size.