In a difficult day for the club, Airdrie produced the goods on the pitch to earn a 3-1 triumph over Cowdenbeath.

A Jim Lister double and first goal for the Diamonds loanee Jordan Thomson gave Airdrie their first win in four matches to hoist them into fourth spot ahead of Albion Rovers thanks to better goal difference.

The home side started brightly as Declan Hughes fired a cross fro the left into the box that was cleared away, but it was Airdrie who took the lead in five minutes after Nicky Cadden created some space as he cut in from the left then passed to Jordan Thompson. He took a couple of strides before cracking a 30-yard shot past Alin Roman into the net for the opener.

Two minutes later Jim Lister’s pass to Cadden saw him cut in from the left a send a 20 yard shot in on goal that Roman fumbled then gathered at the second attempt.

With 12 minutes played, Cowdenbeath conceded a corner from Alan Lithgow’s throw in. Cadden’s corner picked out Lister at the back post and he sent his header wide of goal.

As Airdrie continued to threaten with 14 minutes gone, Neil Parry’s free kick from inside his own half reached Lister, who headed the ball on for Marc Fitzpatrick and he was unable to make good contact after running in behind the home back line.

Bryan Prunty made a strong run into the penalty area in 17 minutes, following up after his attempted through ball came back into his path, but his shot was well saved by Roman low to the right of his goal.

It took 19 minutes for the home side’s first real attempt at goal when Declan Hughes gathered a loose ball and fired a 20 yard effort just wide of Parry’s right post.

On 31 minutes David Ferguson’s long ball forward was met by Lister, and his knock down fell nicely for Fitzpatrick who sent his shot inside the box wide of Romans goal.

Cowdenbeath went close to making Airdrie pay for their profligacy in front of goal in 34 minutes when they fashioned a chance for Declan McDaid who blasted his shot wide of goal from the edge of the box.

Further missed opportunities came in 39 minutes when Thompson fired a free kick into wall from 20 yards out and Cadden blasted the ball well over the goal after Kieran MacDonald set him up from the rebound.

With 55 minutes on the clock Lewis Milne should have levelled but sent the ball wide to the left of Parry’s goal, once more from outside the box.

Substitute Ross Caldwell’s failure to even hit the target from 10 yards out was typical of the home side’s accuracy.

Cadden blazed another attempt over the goal on 61 minutes after doing so well to give himself that opening.

The home side passed up another chance in 68 minutes after Caldwell opened up the Airdrie defence with a fine pass to Declan Byrne who sent another effort wide of Parry’s goal.

Lister, who was having a fine game, scored in 70 minutes when he powered the ball from Thompson’s cross into the box beyond Roman.

Airdrie’s failure to concentrate after scoring saw Cowdenbeath reduce the deficit immediately when a ball into the box was poorly defended. Milne reacted quickest and chipped the ball past Parry into the net.

With 12 minutes remaining a poor passback to Roman had the keeper under pressure and Thompson’s closing down led to his attempted clearance only reaching Lister midway in the home side’s half. The striker reacted quickly to send the ball low into the net to restore the two-goal advantage.

Lister should have had his hat trick in 83 minutes after racing on to a Fitzpatrick pass, beating keeper Roman to the ball and chipping it high and over him into the box. But when the ball came down his contact on the ball sent it over the crossbar.

He missed out on a three goal haul, but his contribution ensured his side picked up the three points.

John O'Brien at Central Park.

Photographs © Robert Dalzell. Click to view full-size.