Airdrie started their KDM Evolution Trophy group phase with a comfortable win over Dumbarton at the Rock.

The Diamonds made ten changes to the side which drew 1-1 with East Kilbride at the weekend, Ruairidh Adams, Evan Easton, Declan Gallagher, Henry James, Kwame Boateng, Cole Williams, Robbie Mahon, Liam McLeish and Divine Iserhienrhien coming in to the side alongside new signing Lewis Gibson, who made an immediate debut after signing earlier in the day.

Airdrie got off to a blistering start, going close four times in the opening five minutes. There were 24 seconds on the clock when McLeish sprung the offside trap and sent a low powerful strike just wide of the post, and Mahon was one-on-one a minute later but failed to test Aidan Rice with a tame right-footed effort.

Gibson won a third-minute free kick on the left of the penalty box, which he took himself and almost buried – but Rice got up well to palm over the bar. The resultant corner from Mahon missed everyone in the box, but came agonisingly close to sneaking in to the top corner untouched.

Aedan Gilfedder retaliated for the Sons, sending a fifth-minute strike wide from an acute angle.

James and Boateng saw off a ninth-minute attack and launched a quick counter, which broke down when the home defence recovered to block of Iserhienrhien.

McLeish and Deryn Lang exchanged off-target headers as the match began to open up, and Rice denied the Airdrie striker as he poked toward goal midway through the first half.

Mahon and Gibson were getting joy on the flanks, with both showing a willingness to come inside and shoot, Mahon sending a 25th-minute strike wide of the post before Gibson’s effort cleared the bar two minutes later.

Another Mahon effort on 36 minutes beat the keeper, but flew the wrong side of the post.

The Irishman was involved in Airdrie’s opener three minutes later, beating his man and chipping in a good ball which three home defenders tried and failed to clear. Dylan MacDonald was the Airdrie man in the right place to finish, squeezing home from ten yards.

As the half drew to a close it was the Diamonds’ wingers who were catching the eye again, Mahon with a brilliant touch and burst of pace to beat his marker before Gibson sent another effort just wide.

Both sides made changes at the break, and it was the visitors who continued their early impetus after the restart, Iserhienrhien just unable to nod home Gibson’s 48th-minute cross before James joined the attack, striking the post with a low effort after Mahon had waltzed through the Dumbarton defence.

Airdrie were punished for the misses on 53 minutes, an incisive passing move freeing Gilfedder, who cut in and stroked home at the near post.

More changes followed for the Diamonds, and the impact was immediate as new boy Gibson fired his side back in front after substitutes Adam Devine and Dapo Mebude had combined to set up the winger, who gave Rice no chance with a powerful first-time strike.

The former Raith man almost added a fine second as he showed excellent close control to make space in the box, but this time Rice was equal to the effort.

Declan Gallagher got up to join the attack on 68 minutes, but was unable to profit from more tricky play from Mahon, firing well over the bar.

Dumbarton’s Queen’s Park loanee Josiah Sowa had looked a handful since coming on, and was unlucky to see his 71st-minute strike blocked and then cleared as it spun toward the empty net.

The striker had another chance on 74 minutes, but was well marshalled by Devine and Williams, who then sent Kian Taylor on his way to goal, the Englishman’s reversed shot falling the wrong side of the post.

There was no such inaccuracy from fellow substitute Matty Yates with ten minutes remaining, the forward grabbing his first Airdrie goal in some style with a beautiful lofted finish from 35 yards after a misplaced pass had rolled into his path.

Gavin Gallagher fired over before Boateng and Taylor both saw their strikes well blocked, and Sowa found no way past the impressive Williams with five minutes to play.

It was the last real chance of the match, and the Diamonds take a morale-boosting win into Saturday’s Lanarkshire derby at New Douglas Park.