Chris Mochrie put his hometown team to the sword as Airdrie's season got off to a flier with a fantastic away win to top-flight opponents Dundee.

As a handful of players continue their recoveries from injuries, player-manager Rhys McCabe named himself in central defence alongside stand-in captain Sean McGinty as the Diamonds gatecrashed Steven Pressley’s first match in charge of the dark blues.

The home side were first to threaten in the brutal Dens Park heat, Cade Melrose claiming a second-minute header before Airdrie launched the first of many counter-attacks, Craig Ross’s crunching tackle freeing Lewis McGrattan and Mochrie.

Euan Henderson saw his shot charged down from the resultant corner with Liam McStravick’s effort sailing wide as the ball broke.

McGinty blocked well from Emile Acquah on seven minutes, and Ross was snapping into tackles again as the impressive Tony Yogane threatened down the left five minutes later.

A well-worked corner routine found Alex King in space on 14 minutes, the makeshift left-back clipping the crossbar with a fantastic 20-yard effort.

Eight minutes later the Diamonds were in front, and after some patient passing across the midfield, McCabe played the killer pass to pick out Mochrie’s run. Ryan Astley was caught out by the bounce, and Airdrie’s former Dundee United man ran across the defender, cut back to leave him on the deck, and finished into the top corner despite Trevor Carson’s despairing dive.

Dundee’s retaliation was swift, but McGinty was on hand to head out a curling César Garza effort on 24 minutes before King made a superb covering run to halt Simon Murray’s progress on the half-hour mark.

A deflected cross almost caught Melrose out on 33 minutes, but the Airdrie keeper smothered at the second attempt.

Melrose was in action again six minutes before the break, producing a top save to deny Finlay Robertson who had cut in to smash a powerful strike at goal.

Acquah failed to connect with a dangerous Murray flick-on in first-half stoppage time, and Mochrie was back helping his defence as he nodded out a Luke Graham header in the last attack of the half.

The home side upped the pressure after the restart, but there was to be no way past the Diamonds defence and Melrose, who gathered from Murray on 46 minutes after a heavy touch from the Dee captain.

Henderson saw a 53rd-minute strike well blocked after a swift one-two with McStravick, and Ross getting his head to a dangerous free-kick at the other end three minutes later.

McGrattan’s curling effort was wide of the target as play swung from end to end, but another top save from Melrose was required to deny Garva just before the hour-mark.

Mochrie almost added a second on 61 minutes, deft footwork once again taking him away from his man before his shot was deflected agonisingly wide.

Robertson was beginning to look like the Dundee danger-man, but McGinty denied him on 68 minutes before two Dundee corners led to two towering Billy Koumetio headers and two goal-line clearances by McCabe in quick succession.

Melrose beat Robertson to a 74th-minute through-ball before producing a fingertip save to turn a Murray effort round the post a minute later.

Garza scooped his shot over the top as the home side continued to lay siege to the Diamonds goal, Yogane then forcing another good save from Melrose after being set up by substitute Imari Samuels.

The introduction of Jamie Barjonas and the Williams twins gave Airdrie a number of fresh out-ball options, and the hosts began to look frustrated in their search for an equaliser.

Cole Williams sent an 88th-minute wide of the target before Murray rattled a close-range effort into the side netting, Ross and Rhys Armstrong blocking stoppage time strikes and ensuring the first three points of the cup campaign went back to Airdrie.

An impressive victory for the Diamonds, who performed well to a man. A home tie with Bonnyrigg Rose follows on Tuesday night as Airdrie look to progress to the knockout stages for the third successive season.