Airdrie will face Raith Rovers for a place in the KDM Evolution Trophy final after drawing 2-2 with Arbroath in 90 minutes and winning on penalties – for the second time in 17 days.

The sides met for the fifth time this season, and with there never being more than a single goal to separate the sides, another close encounter looked likely.

The proved to be the case in Gayfield’s swirling wind and rain as the match played out a week after the initial fixture was postponed.

With a Scottish Cup tie against St Mirren looming on Friday night, head coach Aaron Taylor-Sinclair made six changes to the line-up which won at Dunfermline on Saturday.

Dylan MacDonald, Aidan Wilson, Charlie McArthur, Jamie Barjonas, Cole McKinnon and Chris Mochrie were the men to make way as Adam Devine made his Diamonds debut. Sean McGinty, Craig Ross, Gavin Gallagher, Lewis McGrattan and Scott Constable also came back in to the starting XI.

Jack Wilkie had the first sight of goal for the hosts, but struck the roof of the stand after four minutes.

Airdrie retaliated through Devine, who saw a low cross hacked away just before it reached McGrattan in the six-yard box.

Lewis Strapp was outnumbered on the edge of the box on 11 minutes, Scott Stewart squaring for Ryan Dow who was unable to capitalise as he fired wide.

Charlie Telfer saw a curling free-kick headed behind for a 12th-minute corner, and a minute later the midfielder was unlucky not to squeeze the ball in at the far post as he attacked a deep cross.

Euan Henderson has been a constant thorn in Arbroath’s side this season, and looked set to add to his three goals against the Lichties as he raced forward on the counter on 16 minutes, but Aidan McAdams denied the Diamonds striker with a good save.

Jacob MacIntyre shot over after a driving run a minute later, and Stewart saw an angled strike blocked by Strapp on 19 minutes.

Three minutes later Airdrie had the lead, Henderson finding McGrattan in the box. The Diamonds man knocked the ball on to Devine and continued his run, turning home the return pass at the near post.

McAdams was alert to beat Gallagher to a 26th-minute through ball, and an important touch from Aaron Muirhead prevented McGrattan’s pass from freeing Henderson a minute later.

With ten minutes of the half remaining Muirhead got the equaliser, but as in the recent Scottish Cup meeting, there was a touch of fortune about the strike. Craig Watson’s handball was missed by referee Grant Irvine before a wicked deflection on Muirhead’s shot wrongfooted Harry Stone as the ball looped into the net.

An enforced change saw McKinnon replace Constable after an impressive performance from the Dundee United loanee.

Scott Robinson should have put his side ahead five minute before the break, turning a deep cross back across Stone’s goal but wide of the far post.

McGrattan snatched at a stoppage-time Henderson pass and sent the ball over the top in the last action of the first half.

Shooting into the strong north sea wind in the second half, Airdrie started brightly as McKinnon sent a tempting ball across the face of goal, but no-one in a Diamonds shirt could apply the finishing touch.

Henderson saw his pass hacked clear after McGrattan had made a clever run on 54 minutes, but five minutes later Arbroath had turned the game on its head, Robinson squeezing home a corner-kick delivered to the near post.

Watson found a good position on 64 minutes but could only head straight at Stone, and recent Arbroath loan signing Tom Lang headed a 73rd-minute Wilkie cross over the top.

Diamonds sub Jake Hastie made a fine solo run three minutes later, but a good interception prevented his final ball from reaching Henderson.

McKinnon smashed past the post after a free-kick with 12 minutes remaining, but Henderson made no mistake a minute later as some quick passing in the midfield released Strapp. The defender powered forward and released Airdrie’s top scorer, who was deadly with his low angled strike.

Ross Callachan was one of two 80th-minute subs for the hosts, and his first involvement was a foul which saw him shown a yellow card.

Airdrie survived a late barrage of wind-assisted corners before Callachan picked up a second booking in stoppage time and the Lichties were reduced to ten men.

There was no time for the Diamonds to take advantage, and the final whistle signalled another penalty shoot-out for the sides.

Airdrie’s Henderson and Barjonas scored either side of Gavin Reilly, but Findlay Marshall saw his kick well saved by Stone to hand the impetus to the Diamonds.

McGrattan, Wilkie, Mochrie and MacIntyre all found the net, leaving McKinnon the opportunity to net the deciding spot-kick – which he did with aplomb, blasting the ball high into the net, and Airdrie into the semi-final.