There was late drama as Jake Hastie’s 88th-minute equaliser took the KDM Evolution Trophy semi-final to penalty kicks, but it was Raith Rovers who progressed to the final as Airdrie’s luck from the spot ran out.

The sides had already produced two draws at the Albert Bartlett on league duty this season, so it was perhaps no surprise when substitute Hastie popped up to square the tie after Dylan Easton had given the visitors the lead.

Diamonds head coach Aaron Taylor-Sinclair made six changes as the Diamonds faced their 12th game in two months, with co-operation loanee Owen Stirton handed his first start upfront.

Adam Devine, Sean McGinty, Charlie Telfer, Gavin Gallagher, and Cole McKinnon came back into the side, while Dylan MacDonald, Charlie McArthur, Dean McMaster, Jamie Barjonas and Lewis McGrattan dropped to the bench, with Dom Thomas and Robbie Mahon unavailable.

The first half seemed to indicate that the match was heading in the same direction as the previous meetings of the sides in Airdrie, with both moving the ball well and enjoying spells on top, but neither able to seriously threaten their opponent’s goal.

Former Diamonds keeper Josh Rae made a routine near-post stop from Euan Henderson on seven minutes, with Devine clearing well from Jordan Doherty a minute later.

Doherty found another good crossing position in the ninth minute, but Jack Hamilton sent his header wide of the target.

Lewis Strapp saw a cross headed behind after taking Gallagher’s pass following a neat one-two between Stirton and Chris Mochrie, with a deflection taking McKinnon’s angled effort wide from the resultant corner.

Stirton almost profited from a heavy Paul Nsio touch on 13 minutes, but saw his cutback booted behind after the ball had been worked into the box by Gallagher.

Four minutes later Mochrie fired over on the break after Lewis Vaughan had been brilliantly tackled on the edge of the Airdrie box.

Easton send a strike inches wide midway through the half, with another Stirton cutback intercepted after Henderson had done well to win possession on the wing.

It was Airdrie’s turn to defend as half-time approached, McGinty sliding in to block a Hamilton cross before Strapp put his head where it hurts to clear despite being outnumbered in the box.

Rae scooped out a Craig Ross header in the final act of a first half which once again ended in stalemate.

Rovers captain Scott Brown did well to cut out Henderson’s cutback a minute after the restart, with a scrappy period following as fouls were committed and bookings dished out.

Nsio should have done better with the loose ball after McGinty had partially cleared a 54th-minute header, but the visitors were in front two minutes later with a typical Easton goal, the midfielder advancing into the box and creating space for a curling effort which left Harry Stone with no chance as it nestled in the net.

Airdrie made changes as MacDonald and McGrattan took to the field, but it was the Kirkcaldy men who were in the ascendancy and their lead was almost doubled when Darragh O’Connor headed a 71st-minute corner just over.

Strapp and Henderson combined well to find McGrattan in the box on 72 minutes, but some determined defending saw the substitute’s route to goal blocked.

Raith sub Innes Cameron fired straight at Stone a minute later, before a triple-substitution saw McMaster, Hastie and Scott Constable join the fray.

Mochrie had a 76th-minute effort blocked after a neat turn and run through the middle, with Nsio seeing a shot deflected wide five minutes later.

MacDonald came close for Airdrie with a rasping effort which flew inches wide of the far post with six minutes remaining, and when McMaster sent a curling strike high and wide on 86 minutes it looked like Raith were through.

Hastie had different ideas as he combined with fellow sub Constable, timing his back post-run to perfection and re-adjusting to head home after the midfielder’s cross had taken a touch off the head of Paul Hanlon.

Stone made a commanding claim as Jai Rowe crossed in the 90th-minute, and a stoppage-time McGrattan strike missed the target before referee Sean Murdoch blew for full-time.

Although both goalkeepers had made memorable shoot-out saves for the Diamonds in recent times, there was no glory for the custodians this evening as Mullin, Hanlon, Matthew, Rowe and Cameron tucked away their spot-kicks for Raith. Although Stirton, Mochrie and Hastie netted with aplomb for the Diamonds, McGrattan’s miss proved decisive and Rovers won the shoot-out and a place in the final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

It’s another quick turnaround for the Diamonds, who return to Championship duty in two days time with a crunch home fixture against Morton as full focus returns to the league battle ahead.