Nicky Cadden's second-half wonder strike lit up New Broomfield as Airdrie came from behind to draw with Forfar.

Donald Jennow and Kevin McBride were in the Diamonds dugout as Gary Bollan's Loons visited for the rearranged fixture, and the caretaker duo went with the same starting eleven that won 3:1 at Central Park on Saturday.

Cadden sent a 20 yard free kick over the bar on six minutes after Jordan Thomson had been fouled.

Forfar’s Gavin Swankie was more accurate with his tenth minute effort but fired the ball straight at Parry.

Airdrie should have opened the scoring in the 20th minute. Cadden picked out David Ferguson overlapping down the right wing. The on-loan defender cut the ball back to Bryan Prunty in the middle of the park and his instant curling pass picked out Marc Fitzpatrick, who blasted his shot wide to the right of Darren Hill’s goal.

Scott Martin went close as he sent a dipping volley wide to the right of Neil Parry’s goal nine minutes later.

In 37 minutes the visitors took the lead when Thomas O’Brien pushed through the Airdrie midfield and threaded a ball to full-back Euan Spark. His cut back was directed towards goal by Omar Kader, whose initial effort was well saved by Neil Parry. Kader reacted immediately to the rebound and put the ball into the net.

The scorer went close again a minute later, though Parry was alert to gather the ball.

Shortly before the interval Cadden tried his luck from distance and his shot was deflected wide. Alan Lithgow rose to head the resultant corner just over the goal.

Three minutes into the second half Airdrie were thankful when Andrew Ryan blocked a netbound header from O’Brien stretching the visitor’s lead.

In 52 minutes Parry pulled off a fantastic save when he instinctively pushed a powerful shot inside the penalty area from O’Brien against his own crossbar. It gave Airdrie a lifeline, but still Forfar pushed on to try and increase their advantage.

Ryan blasted a shot over the crossbar in 53 minutes while Danny Denholm could only send a left footed effort straight at Parry in the centre of his goal six minutes later.

On the hour Airdrie levelled matters. A long throw into the Forfar penalty area resulted in a poort defensive headed clearance. The ball fell nicely for Cadden on the edge of the box, and the midfielder lashed an unstoppable volley into the top corner, giving Darren Hill no chance.

Forfar reacted with Denholm heading over on 62 minutes, while Ryan then Denholm forced Parry in making a couple of decent stops six minutes later.

Airdrie’s best chance of taking the points was a powerful drilled shot by substitute David Cox in 72 minutes that was well taken low down by Hill.

Forfar could have secured the away win in the final minute when Denholm was picked out on the left, but he blasted his angled shot well off target.

With Albion Rovers earning a late point at Dunfermline, it's "as you were" in the league table - and the derby at the end of the month is starting to take on great importance.

John O'Brien at New Broomfield.

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