The points have stayed at home on both occasions when Airdrie have faced Raith Rovers this season – and Mason Hancock wants that trend to continue on Tuesday evening.

A quick turnaround from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Partick Thistle sees the Diamonds back in action at the Albert Bartlett Stadium as they take on a Raith side who are playing under a third different manager this season.

Ex-Airdrie boss Ian Murray parted company with the Kirkcaldy club in the aftermath of the Diamonds’ opening-day win as Dylan MacDonald grabbed the only goal of the August meeting.

Neill Collins was in the dugout when the sides clashed at Stark’s Park in October. Again a single goal settled the tie, this time scored by Raith skipper Scott Brown.

With Collins leaving the club in December, the Diamonds now face their first meeting with a Rovers side led by former Aberdeen boss Barry Robson.

Tuesday’s match comes hot on the heels of Saturday’s draw at Partick, in which Ben Wilson’s sixth goal in as many games levelled the tie after Thistle’s player/interim-manager Brian Graham had given his side the lead.

Speaking after the match, Hancock was pleased to take something from the game after going behind.

“We had a good start, we looked fresh at the start – the first ten minutes we were after them, our press is right, then we go quiet a little bit and we’re punished.

“We concede from our own set play, which is a tough one to take, but there’s a reaction in the second half which the gaffer asked for, so it’s a point earned.

“We’re four games unbeaten now – we need to keep that momentum and keep going.”

After a tricky tie on a challenging surface, the English defender is pleased to get back to the home comforts of the Albert Bartlett Stadium.

“The biggest thing is being back at home. You can see the pitch today, it’s not looking too well! Back in training on Monday on a nice park, and we’ll definitely be able to play on Tuesday the way the manager wants us to play.

“We’ve got bodies coming back from injury, the bench is much healthier than it has been in the past. We’re a team, we’ve got to act like one now – stay together, and everyone will be used.

“It makes a difference in training as well, you’re fighting for a shirt so it drives standards. It just makes everything better.”

Now in his second season at the club, Mason enjoyed the upper hand over Raith last term as the Diamonds won four and drew one of the five meetings between the sides in all competitions.

However, the 22-year-old is fully aware that the Rovers present a new challenge under new boss Robson.

“They’re still fresh with the new manager. We expect them to press high and try to win the ball back high up the pitch. We also expect them to get the ball down and play when it’s on.

“It’ll be a good game, we showed that last season, they were good battles. We got the better of them last season and again we’ll be looking to walk away on Tuesday, being at home, with three points.”

Manager Rhys McCabe expects another exciting tie against the Kirkcaldy men, and is looking forward to facing another new opponent.

“Barry is still relatively new to the post, and he’ll be looking to implement his ideas. He’s had a good couple of results.

“We’ve played them long enough that we know what personnel they’ve got. The thing that will probably be a bit different is the formation and how he sets up his team, but we know what individuals they’ve got and what they offer.

“It’ll be a good game, they always are against Raith. We’re at home on a good surface, it’s a good chance for both teams to get the ball down and play, and we’ll hopefully get three points.”

Referee Peter Stuart takes charge of his third Airdrie match this season, having previously officiated December’s home defeat to Partick Thistle and the 1-1 draw with Dunfermline Athletic in October.

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