Michael Ruth’s first-half goal was enough to secure a big three points for Queen’s Park, while results elsewhere saw Airdrie finish the day at the foot of the Championship table.

With the match at The city Stadium starting at 1:00pm due to the women’s international at Hampden, the Diamonds were hoping to close the gap on Sean Crighton’s Spiders before the 3:00pm matches kicked off.

Cole McKinnon replaced Dean McMaster in the only change to the starting XI which triumphed over Morton last weekend, the Diamonds vice-captain unavailable after picking up a hamstring strain.

Airdrie started by trying their luck down both flanks, Euan Henderson winning a second-minute corner after getting onto Lewis Strapp’s pass down the left, before the ball was worked to Lewis McGrattan on the right two minutes later, the midfielder’s cross drifting behind after some neat interplay.

Dylan MacDonald foiled the first Queen’s Park attack of the afternoon, stealing in to head back to Harry Stone after Scott Martin had flicked the ball into the box.

A good tackle on Dom Thomas ended an eighth-minute Airdrie attack and sent the home side on the counter, Ruth losing possession before he could get his shot away.

Calum Ferrie was the first of the keepers to be called into action, but McGrattan’s effort was tame after a strong run had taken him from box to box on 14 minutes.

The Queen’s keeper was required again a minute later, Thomas spotting Strapp’s run into the box with the full-back drawing a diving save from Ferrie.

Roddy MacGregor tested Stone with a lofted effort as he stretched to meet a long ball on 16 minutes, and the midfielder saw a powerful effort well blocked by McKinnon three minutes later.

Airdrie came even closer on 20 minutes, Henderson’s pace taking him clear before cutting back onto his right foot and sending in a curling effort which looked bound for the back of the net, but Ferrie got across to tip round the post.

McKinnon saw a stinging effort blocked by Euan Murray before Owen Stirton curled in a shot which was just too high to find the top corner.

The hosts took the lead on the half-hour mark, Thomas having his pocket picked as he drove forward. Henry Fieldson took control, playing a one-two into the box and squaring to the front post where Ruth beat Stone to the ball and sidefooted home.

The Spiders looked to quickly double their advantage, but Seb Drozd was denied by the offside flag before MacGregor sent an effort over the top after MacDonald had slipped.

Crosses from Henderson and Thomas failed to hit their intended targets as Airdrie looked for a way back into the game, and Martin couldn’t trouble Stone as he volleyed goalward with the final chance of the first half.

Airdrie were denied an equaliser by the width of the crossbar two minutes after the restart, Strapp’s long throw cleared only as far as Henderson, who controlled on his chest and sent in a shot which beat Ferrie but not the woodwork. As McGrattan stooped to nod in the loose ball, the Queen’s Park keeper got across to claw off the line.

Jake Hastie and Chris Mochrie replaced McGrattan and Stirton as Aaron Taylor-Sinclair looked to change things up, and the former almost had an immediate impact, winning a corner which fell to Charlie McArthur, but the defender’s flick over his shoulder was held by Ferrie.

Hastie was denied by a perfectly timed sliding tackle from Murray on 70 minutes, and McArthur’s header three minutes later was cleared off the line as it looped toward goal.

Ferrie reproduced his first-half save from Henderson as the Diamonds striker got another shot away on 77 minutes, and Strapp almost saw a low driven cross sneak in at the back post a minute later, but it was increasingly looking like luck was not on Airdrie’s side.

Another Strapp cross was headed behind for an 86th-minute corner, but it was too little too late from the Diamonds, and the home side held on for a huge three points.

With nine-man Ross County managing a draw in Arbroath, Airdrie are a point adrift at the foot of the table – but still only five points separate the sides in the bottom half with further twists and turns likely to come in the weeks ahead.