Airdrie came from behind to beat Cowden with goals from Cox and Watt - and a debut stunner from loan star George Hunter.

Once again it was the substitutions that turned the match and resulted in the Diamonds taking all three points.

Cowdenbeath had gone into the match looking for their second win of the season, while Airdrie were chasing their third league win in succession.

With five minutes played an Andy Murdoch free kick picked out Aldin-El Zubaidi who rose above the Airdrie back line but headed the ball over the crossbar.

Airdrie’s first real look at the visitors' goal came in 10 minutes when a ball into the box led to David Cox giving himself some space. The forward fired an angled effort on target that keeper Jamie Sneddon pushed back out. Cox sent the rebound back with the same result from the keeper.

Airdrie continued to press with Caolan McAleer’s through pass to Adam Brown allowing him to control the ball and fire a low shot on target forcing Sneddon into another decent stop in 15 minutes.

Sean Crighton headed wide from McAleer’s delivery two minutes later.

On 21 minutes there was a sense of uncertainty in the home defence. The ball ricocheted between players in the 18-yard box before being booted wide for a corner.

This gave Cowdenbeath encouragement with Robbie Buchanan twisting his way towards the home goal in 27 minutes, though Neil Parry was on hand to pull off a decent save.

A minute later at the other end Bryan Prunty had to stretch to reach a cross from Chris O’Neil and direct the ball towards goal, taken low by Sneddon. It had come from a superb run and link down the line with McAleer.

A goal was just around the corner, two minutes away to be exact.

On the half hour an excellent ball wide right by Brown picked out Cox who took his time then powered an angled shot beyond Sneddon, netting his first ever goal for the club and the opening goal of the match.

The home defence had to reorganise seven minutes from the break when David van Zanten was injured and replaced by Jamie Bain.

Buchanan once again weaved his way into the box, but an untidy challenge as he ran between O’Neil and Scott Smith saw a penalty awarded.

Buchanan sent Parry the wrong way to level matters four minutes before the break.

Cowdenbeath appeared like a side that had been given a second chance and were quicker out of the blocks after the break. Gordon Smith fired a shot against Crighton in 47 minutes after a sweeping move upfield by the visitors.

They turned the match around in 58 minutes after a fine overlapping run down the left by Mo Yaqub saw the full back deliver a strong back post cross that was volleyed high into the net by Andy Murdoch.

A Crighton effort on the hour was blocked and cleared as Airdrie searched for their equaliser.

In 71 minutes Bain’s throw in picked out Crighton. The defender’s headed attempt was on target but lacked power and was easily taken by Sneddon.

With 13 minutes remaining some neat interplay between Bain and substitute George Hunter saw the new arrival look up and curl an effort from 20 yards out beyond Sneddon at his far post. The ball dropped into the net for a sensational equaliser.

In 81 minutes Airdrie took the lead in one of their finest passing plays for some time.

Close to the home dugout, Taylor Morgan sent a superb angled crossfield ball that found Hunter on the right wing, and his measured pass in front of Liam Watt was asking to be struck. The Diamonds midfielder took a couple of steps before volleying the ball into the net for the winning goal.

An excellent result and the Diamonds start making home advantage count again.

John O'Brien at New Broomfield.

Photographs © Robert Dalzell. Click to view full-size.