The Diamonds were desperately unlucky not to take something from their Betfred Cup clash with Premiership side Partick Thistle.

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Airdrie went with one change from the starting line-up which faced Livingston, with Robbie Leighton replacing Adam Brown. Marc Fitzpatrick remained sidelined with a leg knock.

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The Jags made a couple of changes from the side that hammered St Mirren, Ryan Edwards and James Penrice coming in for Stuart Bannigan and the suspended Abdul Osman.

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It was Edwards who had the first real effort on goal, firing on target in seven minutes with a 20-yard shot which Rohan Ferguson took comfortably.

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Three minutes later Chris Erskine kept himself onside, racing into the box before squaring the ball for Kris Doolan to send it past Ferguson for the opening goal.

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Erskine went close in the 13th minute, sending a headed effort against the crossbar from Callum Booth’s cross.

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Ryan Conroy lashed a 14th minute shot at Tomas Černý who was equal to the volleyed effort.

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Ferguson pushed away Steven Lawless's 20-yard shot in 17 minutes with the danger cleared away.

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A long angled pass by Conroy in 22 minutes picked out Andy Ryan who did well against two markers before sending in a drive that Černý was forced to save.

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A minute later a 25-yard Conroy free kick saw the Thistle keeper dive to his left and push the shot away from goal to his left.

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Airdrie went close to equalising in the 32nd minute when Kieran MacDonald’s cross from the left was headed against the crossbar by Cammy Russell.

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Good interplay on 36 minutes between Lawless and Doolan saw the striker in for a shot and his volley was turned over the bar by Ferguson.

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Thistle added a second goal five minutes from the interval. A shot from Erskine was parried by Ferguson and the mix-up that followed gave Blair Spittal the chance to blast the ball into the net.

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10 minutes into the second half, Airdrie centre back Dean Cairns rose high inside the box to powerfully head Conroy’s delivery from a corner past keeper Černý to reduce the deficit.

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Goalscorer Spittal fired a 25-yard curling free kick over the Airdrie goal with 65 minutes on the clock, but he was closer in 71 minutes after he sent in a low deflected shot which Ferguson turned away for a corner.

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Airdrie took the play to the Thistle goal almost immediately as Ryan’s 30-yard effort was turned away by Černý to the keeper’s left.

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With seven minutes to play Murray Loudon raced down the right wing but his cross into the box was gathered by Černý.

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The visitors went close four minutes from time when Doolan’s flick at the near post hit the side netting.

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On the 90-minute mark following a superb run by Scott Stewart a dangerous ball into the box led to a corner for the Diamonds. Conroy’s cross was met by Cairns but this time the ball landed in the arms of Černý.

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A hard working performance by the Diamonds against a side who finished in the top six of the top division last season.

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The result leaves Partick Thistle and Livingston chasing the possibility of qualifying from the group.

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Referee: Mr Don Robertson

Attendance: 1,255