Airdrie got their first league win of the season against Alloa Athletic, with Liam McLeish finding the net again as the Diamonds registered their second 1-0 home victory this week.

With a midweek KDM win against St Mirren B to build on, head coach John Rankin included new signing Connor Smith in a strong line-up as Airdrie looked for a measure of revenge against the side who relegated them in last season’s play-off semi-final.

Jamie Sneddon, Dylan MacDonald, Cole McKinnon, Callum Burnside, Lewis Gibson, and Declan Gallagher also returned to the starting XI in place of Ruairidh Adams, Ewan Simpson, Dapo Mebude, AJ Bridge, Kwame Boateng, Adam Devine and Kian Taylor.

Airdrie attacked from the off, Alloa keeper Ross Stewart making a hash of Burnside’s second-minute cross and conceding a cheap corner before McLeish got his first sight of goal two minutes later, his shot cannoning off a defender.

Gibson went close with a long-range piledriver on seven minutes, and Grant Marchant shot wide at the other end as the visitors mustered their first attack.

Smith sent a strike past the post after Sam Fisher’s 10th-minute cross had been partially cleared, but another delivery from wide presented McLeish with the chance to open the scoring a minute later.

From a throw-in on the right, Gibson played one-twos with Fisher and McKinnon before swinging in a teasing cross which caught the Wasps defence napping as McLeish stole in to turn the ball home with his knee.

Fisher almost got a second from similar range just two minutes later, the defence hesitant again as the Diamonds’ full-back closed in, but his contact lacked the delicacy required and the ball flew over the bar.

Gibson was next to threaten the rattled visitors, sending a 15th-minute effort well wide.

Alloa showed they were still a force seconds later, a flicked header forcing a fine diving save out of Sneddon.

The Airdrie keeper had an easier task with Marchant’s tame effort ten minutes later, while a better strike would undoubtedly have produced a goal of the season contender at the end of a sharp passing move.

It was Stewart’s turn for heroics on 26 minutes, turning a fantastic Matty Yates effort round the post. The Diamonds forward threatened again a minute later, this time sending a glancing header wide of the upright.

Alloa were coming more and more into the game, and after a 31st-minute penalty claim was turned down, Sneddon did well to hold a curling effort from in-form wide man Kyle Glasgow.

Burnside saw an effort saved by Stewart before picking up the first booking of the match for simulation.

The last action of an intense first half saw Stewart holding a Smith strike on the turn, and the Diamonds took their lead into the break.

The visitors forced the ball over the line early in the second half, but the referee had already blown for a clear push by Cameron O’Donnell, who was booked moments later after a bad tackle from behind on McKinnon.

Chances fell at either end with Stewart palming behind from Yates on 55 minutes and Smith getting back to boot into touch as Alloa threatened 14 minutes later.

Diamonds sub Gavin Gallagher fired straight at Stewart shortly after his introduction, with Gibson then sending a curling strike just over the top.

As the visitors threw the kitchen sink at it in the closing stages, Sneddon was commanding as he claimed crosses into the box, and Gallagher took control as the ball pinged around the box on 85 minutes.

Alloa sub Max Cameron saw a decent strike deflected over off his own player, and O’Donnell sent a stoppage-time header wide to ensure the points stayed in Airdrie.

A huge win for the Diamonds, who can now look forward to a free midweek before the long journey to Peterhead next Saturday.