Andy Ryan opened his account in style as Airdrie slammed four past Clyde at Broadwood.

There were some familiar faces in the Clyde line up with former Diamonds Ewan McNeil, Scott McLaughlin and Phil Johnston starting for Clyde.

Having missed the Gala Fairydean Rovers match, Kieran Macdonald and Scott Stewart started in defensive roles while recent signing Ryan Conroy was also in the starting line up.

A Conroy delivery from a corner after two minutes was swept over the crossbar by Joe Gorman although the first quarter of an hour really saw the home side provide the greater threat.

A timely challenge by Gorman after eight minutes sent the ball away for a corner just as Sean Higgins looked set to shoot for goal.

Scott Linton had sight of the goal a minute later, but sent his 20-yard effort wide left of the target.

Striker Ryan fired in the visitor’s first shot on target in 13 minutes with keeper John Gibson collecting the ball cleanly.

Conroy powered a headed effort over the crossbar five minutes later from Adam Brown’s curling corner.

The Diamonds opened the scoring with 18 minutes gone. A ball from the right wing by Brown picked out Ryan and the striker wasted little time in turning towards goal From 20 yards out he powered a shot that struck the crossbar and crossed the line with the main stand linesman racing back to the halfway line to confirm the goal.

Three minutes later Airdrie had doubled their lead when James Daly played a neat one-two with Scott Stewart before racing through the home defence and curling the ball into the net.

As Airdrie continued to press, a superb run by Stewart was followed by a neat pick out of Iain Russell but his effort was blocked. It was noticeable that Brown had raced back to cover for Stewart as he surged forward.

Clyde missed a great opportunity to reduce the deficit in 27 minutes after Dylan Easton robbed Gorman of the ball and raced in from the right before seeing his angled effort blocked by Rohan Ferguson. Matthew Flynn fired the loose ball high over the Airdrie goal.

12 minutes from the break a 30 yard pass by Hugo Faria picked out Ryan racing towards goal and a couple of strides later he sent the ball into the net in off the keeper’s left post.

Clyde reacted immediately and scored a minute later, Flynn sending the ball past Ferguson from ten yards after good work by Jordan Lowdon on the left.

Brown went close to adding a fourth goal before the interval, but saw his 20 yard free kick smack the crossbar and fly over the top.

The second half was littered with personnel changes although Airdrie maintained an ability to break upfield with pace.

Brown’s 62nd minute corner found Stewart who drilled the ball into the net for a fourth Airdrie goal.

Ferguson plucked a powerful 83rd minute effort from Ewan McNeil just below his crossbar.

Brown tested Clyde’s substitute trialist keeper with a 25 yard shot that he was unable to grab, although a flag appeared with a couple of Airdrie players chasing the loose ball in what was the last real goal attempt by either side.

It was another decent showing going forward while the defence remains to be fully tested at this stage.