Lewis Strapp took full advantage of Jack Wilkie’s red card as Airdrieonians grabbed a late equaliser against in-form Arbroath.

With the Diamonds looking to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat to Queen’s Park, caretaker manager Aaron Taylor-Sinclair made three changes as he welcomed key players back from illness and injury.

Club captain Aidan Wilson returned to the heart of the defence, with Strapp’s reinstatement at left-back allowing Dylan MacDonald to move to his favoured right-back berth, and Cole McKinnon to move back into midfield.

Charlie Telfer also came in for his first league start since hobbling off in the reverse fixture in October. Craig Ross, Jamie Barjonas and Lewis McGrattan dropped to the bench to allow the changes, while Cole Williams was also back among the substitutes after Rhys Armstrong suffered a training-ground calf pull.

Ex-Diamond Nikolay Todorov was named on the home side’s bench, but neither Scott Stewart or Craig Watson made the squad.

Early half-chances for the Red Lichties were well defended, Dean McMaster showing Gavin Reilly wide as he took possession of a sixth-minute dead-ball, with MacDonald nodding back to Cade Melrose a minute later as Jacob McIntyre applied the pressure.

A determined run from Euan Henderson almost yielded Airdrie’s first chance on eight minutes, but the home defence got back in numbers to block the route to goal.

Melrose remained calm to clear under pressure on 19 minutes, with opposite number Aidan McAdams dealing with McKinnon’s near-post cross as the Diamonds broke upfield.

Sean McGinty, sporting a headband after last week’s injury, showed his experience to foil a 20th-minute attack, then starting a counter which saw Chris Mochrie lashing his shot over the bar.

The match continued in end-to-end fashion though neither keeper was fully tested, Wilson mopping up a through ball on 23 minutes before dealing with Findlay Marshall’s angled run three minutes later.

Melrose was in action around the half-hour mark, first rushing out to clear a long ball with his head before picking up a weak Marshall effort.

Mochrie had another sight of goal ten minutes before the break, but his strike was easy for McAdams.

Arbroath’s best chance of the half came on 40 minutes as Wilson was forced into a fine goal-line block, with the Diamonds defence showing their frustration to referee Alastair Grieve who had gotten in the way of a routine Gavin Gallagher clearance earlier in the move.

As the first half drew to a close MacDonald did well to shepherd the ball out at one end before getting up to join the attack and seeing a vicious strike bravely blocked by Wilkie.

The second half started in similar fashion as the sides traded attacks, though a number of stoppages for treatment disrupted the flow of the match.

Ryan Flynn was first to go down for the home side, Arran Pettifer replacing the stricken midfielder.

St Johnstone loanee Taylor Steven almost grabbed an eye-catching opener on 51 minutes, pulling a cross out of the air and teeing himself up for a half-volley which flew past the post.

Gallagher was also off-target as Airdrie retaliated, a block on Telfer’s effort sparking a goalmouth scramble which ended with the Diamonds midfielder poking wide.

As Melrose dived to cover a 55th-minute effort teed up by Steven, the goalkeeper landed awkwardly and was forced to withdraw with a sprained ankle, with Andy McNeil taking over between the sticks.

McAdams claimed a Strapp cross on the hour with McNeil also showing safe hands as a 62nd-minute free-kick was launched into the box.

The home side’s opener came four minutes later, and there was a touch of fortune as Pettifer found the net from the touchline. The substitute’s corner was cleared by McMaster but knocked back out to the Arbroath man, whose first-time cross curled wickedly toward goal and dipped under the bar despite McNeil’s despairing dive.

McGrattan and Barjonas replaced Telfer and Gallagher as Airdrie introduced fresh legs, but it was Arbroath who threatened again as Reilly saw a 78th-minute strike held by McNeil.

Jake Hastie replaced McKinnon as a series of niggly fouls and soft bookings frustrated the Diamonds. As McGrattan did pick out a threatening pass on 80 minutes, McAdams was out quickly to intercept.

A minute later the hosts were down to ten men as Hastie outstripped Wilkie for pace, the full-back tripping the Airdrie loanee just outside the box and accepting the inevitable red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

Henderson’s free-kick beat the tall defensive wall and the dive of McAdams, but cannoned back off the crossbar.

Reilly should have sewn up the points after pouncing on a miscontrol by McMaster with five minutes remaining, the striker drawing McNeil out and firing for goal, but missing the target when it looked easier to score.

Airdrie rallied and began to throw bodies forward as Arbroath switched forwards for defenders in an attempt to see out the match.

Wilson almost grabbed an outrageous equaliser in the 90th-minute, his picture-perfect overhead kick tipped over the bar by a full-stretch McAdams.

The resultant corner did produce the late drama, McMaster taking the short delivery and advancing before sending in a low strike which was blocked by a defensive boot. The ball sat up for Strapp, who jabbed his header into the back of the net despite Thomas O’Brien’s makeshift goalkeeping effort.

There was still time for both sides to push for a winner as the earlier stoppages saw the clock ticking on, but Wilson was in imperious form at the back as he headed out a threatening cross before Pettifer sent a free-kick high and wide.

Mochrie almost won it at the end, but two desperate blocks from the home defence kept the ball out of the net and the points were shared.

With four out of the five Championship matches ending in draws, it’s very much as-you-were as the Diamonds prepare for the visit of Raith Rovers next weekend.