Euan Henderson and Lewis McGrattan were the scorers as Airdrie secured an excellent victory over in-form Dunfermline on their own patch.

Neil Lennon’s side came into the game on a high following wins over Hibernian and St Johnstone, but a well-organised Diamonds performance saw off any threat from the home side.

Aidan Wilson returned to the centre of defence alongside debutant Charlie McArthur, with Craig Ross and Sean McGinty dropping to the bench. Meanwhile there was a place among the substitutes for latest signing Dom Thomas.

A bright start for Airdrie resulted in a third-minute corner, but the Pars defended it well and launched an attack of their own, Andy Tod losing possession on the corner of the Airdrie box.

Recent signing Callumn Morrison showed he had lost none of the pace from his Falkirk days with a burst up the park a minute later, but Wilson remained calm to intercept.

A seventh-minute Dunfermline free-kick was blocked, with McArthur mopping up before getting across to avert the danger again four minutes later as a pass from goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet sparked an attack down the right flank.

A bodycheck on Chris Mochrie handed Airdrie a 14th-minute free-kick, and it was one to forget for Mehmet, who should have easily dealt with Henderson’s tame strike, but instead could only help it into the net.

The hosts looked to hit back straight away, but Harry Stone was down bravely to claim a low Morrison cross with Zak Rudden charging in.

Airdrie should have had a penalty on 20 minutes, Jamie Barjonas waltzing through the defence only to be hauled back as he was about to shoot, but referee Peter Stuart was content to award a corner.

Nurudeen Abdulai bundled a Cole McKinnon cross behind before Dylan MacDonald kept a cool head at the other end as another promising Dunfermline attack came to nothing.

McKinnon sent a close-range angled effort the wrong side of the post on 28 minutes after Henderson and Mochrie had led a breakaway, and Morrison sent a lofted effort wide five minutes later.

Further chances fell to the home side as half-time approached, Chris Hamilton firing over after Tod had headed straight at Stone.

Wilson’s race was run with five minutes of the first-half remaining, the captain limping off after a recurrence of his recent hamstring strain. Craig Ross replaced the Diamonds skipper.

A final Hamilton attempt ricocheted into Stone’s grasp via a deflection off Tod, and Airdrie went into half-time a goal to the good.

The Pars made the early running in the second half as Hamilton saw an early strike blocked by Barjonas before McArthur dispossessed Matty Todd on 50 minutes.

Five minutes later the Diamonds were handed a numerical advantage when a quick break left Mochrie bursting through on goal. Hamilton felled the Diamonds attacker, leaving the referee no choice but to produce the red card.

Forced to throw everything forward, Dunfermline enjoyed perhaps their best spell of the game in the aftermath of the dismissal, Stone denying Morrison and Rudden around the hour-mark.

Mehmet returned the favour at the other end, keeping out Charlie Telfer’s strike after a quick one-two with Mochrie.

Morrison was next to threaten again on 67 minutes, but the dependable Stone was on hand to gather.

Henderson failed to double his tally two minutes later, sending his shot beyond the far post after Dean McMaster had picked the striker out with a fine pass.

A triple-change on 72 minutes saw McGrattan, Thomas and Robbie Mahon take to the field, and it almost paid off immediately for McGrattan who saw his first effort deflected wide just after coming on.

Brave defending from McArthur saw another Dunfermline chance passed up, with the Newcastle loanee taking a blow to the face as he headed clear.

Stone denied Kieran Ngwenya with just over ten minutes remaining, but the Diamonds’ patience paid off soon after as McGrattan doubled his side’s lead.

Picking up a McKinnon pass on halfway, the wide man advanced down the left, cut inside Pars substitute Shea Kearney, and beat Mehmet with a powerful near-post strike from the 18-yard line.

Lewis Strapp almost grabbed a spectacular third with a fizzing angled effort which went just over the bar, and Stone made sure of his clean sheet with a confident take in a crowded box two minutes into stoppage time.

The final whistle confirmed a fantastic result for Airdrie, who now face two cup ties before returning to league action in two week’s time.