Airdrie take a two-goal lead into Saturday’s play-off semi-final second leg, with a contentious late penalty the only blot on the copybook after three marvellous finishes had the Diamonds coasting.

There were several changes to the line-up which faced Ayr United in Friday night’s final Championship fixture, with Dylan MacDonald, Mason Hancock, Dean McMaster, Ben Wilson, Adam Frizzell, Lewis McGrattan, Chris Mochrie and Alex Bannon returning to the starting line-up. Rhys McCabe, Lewis McGregor, Ricco Diack, Flynn Duffy, Craig Watson, Gavin Gallagher, Sam Graham and Rhys Armstrong were the players to make way.

Four of Stenhousemuir’s five ex-Diamonds started for the Warriors, with Darren Jamieson, Gregor Buchanan, Nat Wedderburn and Euan O’Reilly named in a side hit by injuries and suspensions. Manager Gary Naysmith was only able to name three outfield substitutes.

Airdrie started with the attacking intent they had spoken of in the lead-up to the tie, and Mochrie had a golden opportunity with only 61 seconds on the clock, however after rounding Jamieson the angle was against the midfielder and his effort drifted wide.

A fine touch and turn from Ben Wilson sent him racing down the right two minutes later, but Stenny skipper Buchanan recovered with a sliding block to prevent the striker finding Mochrie in the box.

Hancock drew Jamieson to the near post on five minutes, sending a tempting ball across the face of goal as Airdrie’s impressive start continued, but neither side were able to get a touch in the six-yard box and the danger passed.

The home side’s first attack came through an eighth-minute Matty Aitken header, but the frontman nodded over before Mochrie had another good chance two minute later, this time firing beyond the other post after spinning onto a flicked header.

Hancock’s game was over on 13 minutes, the defender pulling up after turning to accept a throw-in. Sam Graham replaced the Englishman with Lewis Strapp moving to the full-back position.

Cade Melrose punched out a 15th-minute corner kick and sent the Diamonds on the counter-attack, but a solid block kept out Mochrie’s effort, and a minute later a point blank save from Jamieson denied the former Dundee United man from close range.

McGrattan saw an effort blocked on 19 minutes, with the handball shouts from the large Airdrie support more in hope than expectation.

A minute later the midfielder made no mistake, controlling Buchanan’s headed clearance before rifling a right-footed effort beyond Jamieson and into the net to give the Diamonds a well-deserved lead.

Frizzell saw a 25th-minute strike whistle past the post before Graham dealt with a dangerous corner after Aitken’s header had deflected wide at the other end.

On the half-hour mark McGrattan topped his first strike with a breathtaking second. McMaster led an Airdrie break down the right, finding Mochrie who squared for the Airdrie scorer. Just inside the 18-yard box, McGrattan caught the pass sweetly on the half-volley, guiding an inch-perfect finish into the top corner.

O’Reilly retaliated for the Warriors but found no way past Bannon in the box, and Blair Alston got plenty of power behind a 42nd-minute strike which Melrose saw wide.

The half ended with a neat one-two between Mochrie and Wilson, but the former sent his effort high and wide of Jamieson’s goal and the Diamonds had to settle for a 2-0 lead at the break.

Wilson had two early chances after the restart, the first going narrowly over before a fine challenge by Kyle Banner averted the danger.

With 51 minutes on the clock, Mochrie got the goal his endeavour deserved finishing off another stunning move started by Melrose. 24 passes later, the ball had been chested down by Wilson, with Mochrie’s unerring strike from the edge of the box nestling in the back of the net before Jamieson could react.

A flurry of substitution took the fizz out of the match, but Airdrie’s dominance continued, Jamieson holding from McMaster on 66 minutes before Mochrie saw another effort blocked after good combination play from Diamonds subs Gallagher and Armstrong.

The Stenhousemuir keeper, who featured in a play-off win for the Diamonds two years ago, made an outstanding save from McGregor with 12 minutes remaining, and the Airdrie winger went agonisingly close three minutes later, stooping to head across goal and beyond the goalkeeper, who was rescued by the post with the ball spinning to safety when it looked certain to ripple the net.

Diack and Strapp sent late efforts over the top and Jamieson produced the goods again on 87 minutes, tipping over an Armstrong strike which was bound for the top corner.

With a minute to play the hosts broke in numbers from an Airdrie corner. Strapp raced back to make an outstanding challenge, with referee and players carrying on as Airdrie cleared. The far-side linesman had other ideas, however, and flagged for an infringement. Strapp was booked as he protested his innocence, and Aitken slotted home the spot-kick to hand Stenhousemuir a late lifeline.

A fine performance and a solid win for the Diamonds, but that late goal will give the Warriors something to battle for when the second leg kicks off at the Albert Bartlett Stadium on Saturday.