There was no two-goal comeback for Airdrie this week as a Tod brothers salvo late in the first half handed the points to Dunfermline at East End Park.

Diamonds boss Rhys McCabe handed loan keeper Matty Connelly his debut, with Craig Ross also coming in to replace Alex King, who had failed to recover from the injury which saw him substituted against Ross County. Midfielder Gavin Gallagher also dropped out of the squad after suffering a neck injury.

Rhys Armstrong was first to threaten with a fourth-minute volley which cleared the crossbar after Liam McStravick’s free-kick had been headed out of the box.

A couple of early yellow cards were shown to Dunfermline players, first to Connor Young for a dive on the edge of the box on five minutes, and then to John Tod for a bad challenge on Chris Mochrie a minute later.

From the resultant free-kick, Euan Henderson got the ball over the wall as he had done last week, but Dunfermline keeper Mason Munn got across to tip round the post.

Neil Lennon’s side hit back with a couple of forays down the right, Ross clearing on nine minutes before Sean McGinty and Dylan MacDonald combined to clear the danger four minutes later.

Henderson saw a 20-yard strike blocked on 16 minutes, and Connelly was first called into action with a 19th-minute save after a Dunfermline free-kick had caught out the Diamonds defence and left Josh Cooper with a shooting opportunity.

The Motherwell loanee was in action again two minutes later, holding a low Young shot after the front man had fought free of the defence.

Munn was alert to clear the danger after Aidan Wilson had won possession from Young then sent a fine pass forward for Henderson just before the half-hour mark.

A flurry of chances for the Diamonds saw a Lewis McGrattan cross turned behind with Munn diving to save Wilson’s header from the resultant corner, with Armstrong then sending a curling strike just wide of the top corner.

Munn was in action again on 38 minutes, punching out a dangerous MacDonald cross, but it was the home side who took the lead two minutes later, John Tod playing a one-two and dancing through the Diamonds defence before slamming an excellent finish high into the net.

The killer blow came just three minutes later, and this time it was the other Tod brother, Andrew, who put the finishing touch on a driven cross from Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen.

As Airdrie chased a second-half fightback, the home side perhaps looked more likely to add to their lead as they exploited gaps in the Diamonds’ shape, Armstrong getting back to make a vital interception in the box on 50 minutes.

Munn was out quickly to deny MacDonald two minutes later before an important touch from Kyle Benedictus denied McStravick a shooting opportunity.

Chilokoa-Mullen should have done better with a close-range header on 57 minutes, with McGrattan firing well over at the other end as Airdrie countered.

Mochrie went close with a 61st-minute curling effort, and as play continued to move from end to end Cooper sent a fizzing strike over the top.

Connelly saved well at the near post on 70 minutes, with Henderson’s flick failing to go in a couple of minutes later following a strong Mochrie run.

Dunfermline were next to threaten again, and this time it was Charlie Gilmour who could find no way past Connelly.

There were no further chances of note, and the Diamonds were left to rue the three-minute spell which proved to be the difference between the sides.

A free weekend beckons for Airdrie, who will welcome the chance to treat injured players before a home tie against Sean Crighton’s Queen’s Park.