Airdrie will have to come from behind to rescue their Championship status after Alloa Athletic took a first-leg lead at the Indodrill Stadium.

A 19th-minute penalty kick was all it took to edge the League 1 side in front as the Diamonds failed to show the sparkle of recent performances.

Following knocks sustained in Friday evening’s league closer against Morton, defenders Craig Ross and Dylan MacDonald were both unavailable for Tuesday’s match, returning captain Aidan Wilson taking Ross’s place in the heart of the defence while the substitutes bench was again left depleted.

Although Lewis Strapp was cleared to play pending an appeal against his red card at Cappielow, the reality of chasing survival with ten men was perhaps evident as Airdrie were unable to match the intensity of recent weeks.

There were no places in the Wasps squad for injured ex-Airdrie pair Kurtis Roberts and Calum Gallagher, but a trio of Rangers loanees would catch the eye for Andy Graham’s side.

Ibrox youngster Calum Adamson was first to threaten, his second-minute strike turned wide for a corner by Charlie McArthur.

Alloa keeper Liam McFarlane swatted the ball away from the inrushing Chris Mochrie after fumbling Strapp’s fourth-minute cross, and the Hearts loanee was well positioned to deal with Euan Henderson’s strike two minutes later.

Dom Thomas unleashed a rocket on ten minutes, but a home defender got the block in as Airdrie sought to finish off a quick break, and the Alloa rearguard stood firm again a minute later as Henderson skipped into the box.

Callum Burnside showed good control before firing wide as play swung from end-to-end, Adamson then unable to force the ball home as Harry Stone saved at his near post.

The home side were awarded a 19th-minute penalty as a quick break upfield left Wilson chasing back. As he slid in to block Adamson’s shot, the midfielder checked his run and was caught by the trailing leg of the Airdrie defender, leaving referee Grant Irvine with no choice but to point to the spot.

Wasps captain Scott Taggart pulled rank on Burnside, who was eager to take the spot-kick, and managed to squeeze home despite Stone going the right way.

A brilliant diagonal pass from Charlie Telfer almost sent Cole McKinnon through on goal three minutes later, but the makeshift right-back was forced wide and the home defence were able to play their way out of trouble.

Thomas tried his luck again midway through the half, lashing wide after a vital touch had taken Telfer’s cross away from the incoming Lewis McGrattan.

Five minutes later Thomas went for goal again, only to be denied by a fingertip McFarlane save.

As Airdrie pressed for an equaliser, Alloa’s danger on the break was apparent, McGrattan tracking back to stop the lively Burnside on 28 minutes before McFarlane once again denied Thomas, although this time the Airdrie forward’s strike lacked power.

Advantage was played after a 30th-minute foul on Mochrie, but Henderson curled his strike over the bar before Alloa countered again and Burnside sent his angled effort high and wide.

The young Rangers forward did find the net on 39 minutes, but a fine volleyed effort was taken from an offside position and the goal was disallowed.

Late first-half chances fell to McKinnon and Henderson, but McFarlane saved from the former before the latter saw his cutback booted clear.

Cameron O’Donnell failed to find a team-mate with his stoppage-time ball across the six-yard box, and the Wasps took their lead into the break.

A nice McGrattan turn two minutes after the restart went unrewarded as the midfielder saw his strike deflected back to McFarlane, and Burnside’s shot was blocked at the other end four minutes later.

Further chances for the home side saw Aaron Taylor-Sinclair make a double-change ten minutes into the second half, Gavin Gallagher and Robbie Mahon replacing McGrattan and Thomas, and Gallagher was denied the chance to make an instant impact as a cross from the right was touched away from him at the far post.

Mochrie could only turn wide as he slid in to meet Strapp’s 59th-minute cross, but it was Alloa who came close to doubling their lead two minutes later, a thunderous strike from just inside the box rattling the bar despite Airdrie’s protests for a foul.

Jamie Barjonas dragged a 66th-minute effort wide of the target before being replaced by Scott Constable, who immediately sent a long-range effort over the top.

Gallagher saw a cross cleared before Henderson spun to get a shot away on 72 minutes, the Diamonds striker immediately hitting the turf and having to be replaced by Rhys Armstrong.

McFarlane held an 83rd-minute Strapp cross and McKinnon couldn’t keep his half-volley down two minutes later as Airdrie made a final push for parity.

A clear foul on Telfer was missed by the referee in stoppage time, and Alloa broke upfield to win a free-kick on the edge of the Airdrie box. Luckily for the Diamonds, O’Donnell sent his curling effort over the bar.

The defender almost compounded his miss by handing the Diamonds an equaliser, tripping Gallagher in a dangerous area as Airdrie surged forward. There wasn’t much wrong with Mahon’s netbound free-kick, but McFarlane somehow got across to push the ball away from the top corner.

It was the final action of a frustrating match for the Diamonds, who will know that improvement is needed if they are to find a way past the League 1 side on Saturday.