It was all square once again as Airdrie and Dumbarton served up another draw after an entertaining 90 minutes of football.

 

Top scorers Darryl Duffy and Leighton McIntosh added to their tally for the season, but it was only enough for the Diamonds to earn a point.

 

The result meant the third league draw in three meetings this season between the sides, but with Airdrie having been in front twice they will feel more disappointed with the outcome. 

 

Having lost to bottom of the table Stenhousemuir last Saturday, Airdrie were looking to get their play-off ambitions back on track against another relegation-threatened club in the shape of Jim Duffy’s Dumbarton.

 

Ryan Conroy and Darryl Duffy replaced Josh Edwards and Dale Carrick in the starting line up. 

 

Similar to the December match, Airdrie scored early on but a late Dumbarton goal saw the sides take a point apiece.

 

A well-worked goal gave the Diamonds the opener in two minutes. Declan Glass played a ball in behind the visitor’s defence for McIntosh, whose well-struck shot was parried away by former Diamond Grant Adam allowing Darryl Duffy to control the ball and send it into the net.

 

On nine minutes after a good run, Declan Glass played in Conroy to the left of the penalty box and his angled shot was blocked by Adam.

 

Dumbarton’s first threat came on 13 minutes when Dom Thomas took advantage of a retreating home defence to make ground and get a 20 yard effort away which David Hutton took comfortably.

 

Henk van Schaik then headed a Bobby Barr corner over the crossbar as the visitors tried to level.

 

Adam had to act quickly on 29 minutes when a poor passback almost caught the keeper out, but he cleared the ball away at the second attempt. 

 

Nine minutes of the half remained when a strong run by Glass was followed by a good angled shot, with Adam once more making the block. 

 

A fine pass by Grant Gallagher provide Duffy with an opportunity for a second but Adam was up to the task and smothered his attempt on goal. 

 

Thomas tested the Airdrie defence for a second time with two minutes of the half left, running once again without challenge before getting another shot on target, but Hutton was able to gather.

 

Within the opening four minutes of the second half Dumbarton’s Stuart Carswell and Kyle Hutton picked up yellow cards after sending an opponent crashing to the ground.      

 

On 56 minutes Dumbarton equalised after Bobby Barr linked well with Thomas then was allowed to make headway as Airdrie fell back. Barr was quick to get a shot away when he had sight of the goal and it flew high into the top corner of the net, giving Hutton no chance.

 

Airdrie tried to react and another decent run from Glass on 56 minutes was taken by Adam in the centre of his goal. 

 

Airdrie were back in front though on 65 minutes. Gallagher did well to win the ball on the right, cut into the middle then drill a low ball into the box for McIntosh, and the striker raced in to slide the ball under Adam. 

 

As they looked to add to their two goals, three chances came in quick succession with Glass forcing another stop from Adam on 71 minutes, Sean Crighton heading over from a corner a minute later then after 73 minutes a Duffy netbound 30-yard volley was pushed on to the crossbar by Adam.

 

However Dumbarton came back at the hosts, and only a late headed clearance from McIntosh with a follow up volley over the crossbar by Michael Paton with 16 minutes left saw Airdrie maintain their advantage.

 

After the sides made their final changes the game remained end to end.

 

With four minutes left, Dumbarton sub Ben Armour picked out Thomas down the right. The Kilmarnock loanee worked some space into the box then fired a powerful angled shot which beat Hutton at the far post to level matters once more.

 

Chances came and went before the final whistle was blown, but another point from the match saw Airdrie overtaken by Montrose as the Diamonds dropped down to sixth place.

 

The play-off matches remain a possibility, but an upturn in form is required.