Head coach John Rankin fielded different sides in each half of his first match in charge of Airdrie as a Diamonds side peppered with trialists drew 1-1 with Elgin City.

The friendly match kicked off a new era for Airdrie with Rankin joined in the dug-out by coaches Calum Erskine and Gianniluca Gradini, formerly of the Diamonds academy setup.

The new purple Puma third kit completed the new look as Airdrie started the match with four trialists alongside summer signings Sam Fisher and Ewan Simpson.

Visitors Elgin City also had a new man in the dugout, with manager Stefan Laird taking the reins last month.

The Black and Whites managed to clear a second minute Robbie Mahon corner which looked set to curl into the net having been missed by everyone in the middle, then skipper Russell Dingwall fired over the top following the aftermath of a fourth-minute corner.

Jack MacIver did have the ball in the net on the quarter-hour, taking advantage after Cade Melrose had failed to connect properly with a clearance, and rifling into the net before the young Diamonds keeper could recover.

Oliver Colloty should have made it two a couple of minutes later, somehow sending the ball wide of the post after Mark Gallagher’s storming run down the left flank.

Airdrie thought they had equalised through Trialist 15 with 21 minutes played, his deflected effort landing in the net only to be denied by a tight offside call.

The big striker turned provider seconds later, controlling well in the middle and threading a lovely pass for Mahon, who waited for Elgin keeper Joe Morrison to commit, then slotting the ball between his legs for the equaliser.

Trialist 15 was enjoying a good spell, and was denied by a good Morrison save on 25 minutes after Divine Iserhienrhien had pressed a City defender brilliant to win possession.

Dingwall tested Melrose from just outside the box on 38 minutes, but the Diamonds keeper got down well to save.

A lengthy stoppage followed as defender Evan Towler received treatment for a shoulder injury, eventually leaving the field on a stretcher to be replaced by former Montrose man Matheus Machado.

Former Airdrie youngster Matty Grant sent in a tempting cross on 45 minutes, but the visitors failed to take advantage.

As play swung to the opposite end, Trialist 41 saw a good block prevent his strike reaching the goal after being picked out by Gavin Gallagher.

The second half saw Matty Yates and Dapo Mebude handed their Diamonds debuts, alongside Craig Ross, former U19s player Szymon Walczak, and seven more trialists.

Trialist 11 caught the eye with some good wing play, teeing up Yates for a 49th-minute header which flashed wide of the post before a similar cross to Trialist 12 was nodded over after Airdrie’s trialist goalkeeper had made a confident catch.

Yates headed wide again on 65 minutes, and Trialist 1 was in action again two minutes later, making a good reflex block before Dingwall lobbed the ball just over the top.

Mebude’s first sight of goal saw a powerful effort deflected wide on 68 minutes, with Trialist 12 drawing another save from Morrison seven minutes later.

There was no further action of note as the match fizzled out, punctuated by substitutions from the visitors.

A trip to Somerset Park is next up for the Diamonds as Ayr United play host next Saturday.