A late Mark McGuigan strike was the difference as Stenhousemuir grabbed a narrow win over the Diamonds.

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Ian Murray’s first match in charge saw Airdrieonians lose by a goal to nil to the streetwise Warriors, who scored their first away league goal of the season to earn their first points on the road.
 

The Diamonds' home record this season has seen them win just two of their nine competitive fixtures as they continued their disappointing run.
 

The first half saw few real chances created.

 

Dale Carrick’s third minute header from Ryan Conroy’s cross lacked power and was easily taken by keeper Graeme Smith.

 

A late tackle on seven minutes by Conor McBrearty on Joao Victoria went unpunished, and while more questionable challenges followed throughout the match, it was only in the closing quarter of an hour that the physical approach led to bookings.

 

Each side went close to breaking the deadlock in the closing ten minutes of the first period.  

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Some fine link up play down the left by Mark McGuigan and Alan Cook led to former Diamond Cook chipping the ball over keeper David Hutton, but the effort rose just over the goal.

 

Four minutes later the home side won a corner on the right after Kieran MacDonald’s dangerous ball across goal was turned away by keeper Smith. Ryan Conroy’s cross from the corner saw central defender Sean Crighton rise high in the box and power a header for goal with keeper Smith leaping to his right to push the ball over his crossbar.

 

Ten minutes Into the second half the Diamonds threatened when MacDonald’s ball in for Carrick saw the striker turn and fire for goal, only to see his effort blocked. Darryl Duffy tried to get on the end of the loose ball but the danger was cleared.

 

On 71 minutes Sean Dickson was allowed space to cut inside on the left, drilling in a netbound effort from which Hutton made a decent stop to push the ball away from goal.

 

The Diamonds had the ball in the net after Joao Victoria made space for himself then curled in a ball from inside the box whic substitute Kyle Wilkie headed into the net, but the linesman's flag saw the goal disallowed.

 

Four minutes remained when Stenhousemuir broke upfield. A ball in from substitute Harry Paton created uncertainty in the Airdrie box and after the ball broke to McGuigan, he was able to drive the ball into the net for the winning goal.

 

Hutton made a decent save in stoppage time but Airdrie’s showing leaves new boss Ian Murray the job of turn around the Diamonds' home form ahead of the visit of Forfar Athletic next week.