Airdrie’s good run of results came to an end with a sobering defeat at home to Queen’s Park.

Josh Fowler’s double either side of the break put the Spiders in a commanding position, with Henry Fieldson adding a third to push Sean Crighton’s side back ahead of the Diamonds on goal difference.

There were no changes to the Airdrie starting line-up, caretaker boss Aaron Taylor-Sinclair sticking with the same XI which had earned good victories over Ross County and Greenock Morton in recent weeks, though club captain Aidan Wilson returned to the bench after illness, as did Jake Hastie.

Queen’s Park’s top scorer Fowler had the first chance of the match inside the third minute as the ball was played to his feet inside the penalty box, but his shot was well blocked.

Lewis McGrattan was back helping his defence two minutes later as the visitors worked a setpiece routine.

Airdrie hit back on nine minutes as Chris Mochrie and Euan Henderson combined on the right flank, only for the home defence to pounce on McGrattan’s dummy and boot clear.

Calum Ferrie saved from Mochrie as Dylan MacDonald joined the attack in the 10th minute, with two Airdrie penalty claims dismissed around the quarter-hour mark. The first, for handball, came more from the crowd than the players, though Gavin Gallagher thought he had a decent claim a minute later as he was pulled back just inside the box.

Jamie Barjonas went for the near post on 16 minutes, firing wide after Gallagher’s searching pass had just gone beyond the run of Henderson.

Both keepers were in action in the 21st minute, Cade Melrose claiming a Carlo Pignatiello cross and launching a counter-attack which ended when Ferrie beat Henderson to the ball on the edge of the box.

Another decent spell for the visitors followed, Roddy MacGregor denied a one-on-one opportunity when he was adjudged to have handled the ball and Louis Longridge clearing the bar by some distance after Dean McMaster had been robbed of possession.

Gallagher had some of the home fans on their feet on the half-hour, pinging a square pass from Mochrie just past the post when it looked like it was curling in.

Sean McGinty almost added to the goal he scored at Morton last weekend, sending a half-volley wide via a 43rd-minute deflection, then getting on the end of the corner only to see his downward header blocked on the line by a combination of Ferrie and Fieldson.

Seb Drozd missed from close range in a crowded penalty box on the stroke of half-time, but seconds later the visitors did find the net, MacGregor playing in Fowler who shuffled onto his right foot and squeezed the ball home despite the despairing dives of Melrose and McGinty.

Airdrie came out on the front foot after the restart, Barjonas firing over on 47 minutes before McGinty had another go six minutes later, this time sending his low strike wide of the target.

Ferrie smothered a Henderson strike a minute later before an incident which saw McGinty leave the field with blood pouring from a gash above his eye after taking the swinging elbow of Fowler full in the face.

With referee Grant Irvine awarding a free-kick only, Fowler was free to grab his second goal nine minutes later, taking a pass on the edge of the six yard box and firing home.

Ferrie got down to block a low MacDonald ball on 70 minutes, holding another cross from substitute Charlie Telfer three minutes later.

A 74th-minute tackle on the edge of the box saw Craig Ross shown a yellow card, with the punishment compounded a minute later as Queens bagged their third.

Melrose made a good save from Fowler’s initial free-kick, but the loose ball was returned to Fieldson who couldn’t miss from close range.

Henderson rattled the stanchion with an 82nd-minute free-kick, with Ferrie making routine saves from Telfer and fellow substitute Lewis Strapp as the clock ticked down.

The final whistle called time on a disappointing afternoon for Airdrie, who now face a trip to in-form Arbroath after Christmas.