Adam Frizzell is ready to face another hurdle in a challenging season as the Diamonds travel to Dunfermline for the penultimate match of the regular league campaign.

The remaining matches could yet have a bearing on Airdrie’s final league position, as an appeal against Hamilton’s points deduction could yet change the landscape at the foot of the Championship table – while an unlikely but not impossible set of results could see the Diamonds avoid the play-offs altogether.

That task was made more difficult with last weekend’s home defeat against Greenock Morton, and Airdrie skipper Frizzell was frustrated by the result.

“I thought we actually started the game really well, the first 10-15 minutes I thought we had a couple of chances and we could definitely have been ahead in the game. I think we sort of just lost control.

“I don’t know if it was the occasion – with what happened during the week, we knew we could have got ourselves right out of the play-offs, I don’t know if it just got the better of us.

“It was definitely disappointing, so it’s about bouncing back on Saturday.”

Football has thrown up its fair share of surprises in the past, so while there’s still a chance of outright survival – albeit one that requires at least a six-point and twelve-goal swing in Airdrie’s favour – Frizzell and his team-mates will be fighting to make it happen.

“It’s looking most likely that we’re in the play-offs now, but we’ve still got a chance to get out of it. We’re going to need to go and get a high-scoring win two games in a row and rely on stuff elsewhere, but that’s all we can do.

“We can take care of ourselves, and if we do end up in the play-offs, the next two games it’s very important that we get a good performance and a bit of momentum to take into it.”

Saturday sees another trip to the kingdom of Fife for the first of those two matches, against a Dunfermline Athletic side who face Airdrie under the guidance of their third manager this season.

James McPake was the man in charge for the first two meetings of the sides, October’s 1-1 draw in which Chris Kane and Mason Hancock traded goals, and a 1-0 Pars win at East End a month later, Lewis McCann the goalscorer.

Michael Tidser had replaced McPake in the dugout by January’s third meeting, which saw Lewis McGrattan, Chris Mochrie and Ben Wilson hit the net in a 3-0 home win for Airdrie.

Now with Tidser also shown the door, Frizzell expects another tough encounter against a new boss with a successful track record.

“They’ve got a very good manager obviously in Neil Lennon, so I’d imagine first and foremost they’ll be very well set up.

“It’s a place I enjoy going and playing. It’s a good club and they’ve got a good fanbase, so it’s a proper game of football. It’ll probably be nervy, because it’ll be the day that they can get properly over the line to safety, and it’s make-or-break for us to try and avoid the play-offs.

“It’ll be a good game and I’m looking forward to it.”

And Adam believes the Diamonds can go into the match with confidence after a turnaround in form which put them in a position to leapfrog Hamilton Academical after their points deduction.

“Obviously we’ve been thrown a massive lifeline with Hamilton, but if our form didn’t pick up we would still be down there. The boys have been really good and we’ve clawed it right back.

“We have to go and capitalise on that now. I certainly don’t want to be the captain that gets a team relegated, so I’ll be doing everything in my power to stop that happening.”

Manager Rhys McCabe says his side will need to be clinical against a Pars side who have shored things up at the back since the appointment of former Celtic boss Lennon.

“They’ve been a lot more solid, their defensive record will speak volumes to that. We know that they’re no pushovers, they’re going to be tough – especially at home.

“We’ve got a message, we want to go and try to be positive in the game, try to put our stamp and way of thinking into the game, and try to get a positive result.

“We know that Dunfermline are a little bit more rigid and defensively sound than they have been. It’s going to be a tough game – they always are against Dunfermline. It’s two teams that are going to go and try to get the three points.”

Late decisions will be made regarding Alex Bannon (groin), Aidan Wilson (leg), and Lewis McGrattan (hamstring) as the trio recover from recent knocks. Aaron Reid (hamstring) and Cammy Bruce (knee) continue to miss out.

Referee Lloyd Wilson was in charge at Palmerston as the Diamonds eased past Queen of the South in September’s SPFL Trust Trophy tie – the whistler’s only match involving Airdrie this season.

Match tickets are available using the link below, and our DiamondsTV video (subscribers outwith the UK and Ireland) and audio (pay-per-match worldwide) streams are available.