FC Edmonton were the victors in a keenly contested friendly, but a youthful Diamonds side impressed acting boss Danny Lennon.

The Eddies were first to threaten in six minutes when a long range effort from Pape Dakite was directed towards goal by Jake Keegan but was comfortably taken by Rohan Ferguson.

The Diamonds keeper was alert to a dangerous cross two minutes later coming quickly out to punch the ball out of the box.

After 11 minutes Edmonton took the lead. Chris O’Neil’s challenge on Gustavo saw a spot kick awarded and Daryl Fordyce sent the ball past Ferguson for the opening goal.

Good build up play down the right between O’Neil and Jacob Esposito led to corner that provided a chance. The back post delivery fell to Dean Cairns whose shot was on target but headed off the line by Nik Ledgerwood.

It was almost two for the visitors on 20 minutes when Gustavo ran in behind the Diamonds back line but he fired the ball against Ferguson’s left post.

The Diamonds drew level in the 35th minute with a dream debut goal from 17-year-old Robbie Leighton.

Under-20s midfielder Robbie had just replaced the unwell Adam Brown when he rose to head an Edmonton corner clear at the front post with his first touch in the first team.

The ball was seized on by emerging striker Scott Thomson, 16, and he angled a magnificent diagonal ball into the path of jet-paced Aussie Jacob Esposito.

Airdrie were breaking at pace now and Esposito picked out the perfect cross for Leighton, who had sprinted fully 80 yards from making his clearance, to bravely guide his header past the outrushing Matt van Oekel.

Airdrie conceded immediately after. Ferguson played a short ball that was intercepted by Pablito and he raced into the box, crossed to Fordyce who passed the ball into the net.
The second half saw the changes rung by the Eddies which impacted on the flow of the match.

Tomi Ameobi missed an open goal after being set up in 55 minutes, while Jamie Bain fired a shot from 25 yards out wide to the left of Vanoekel’s goal two minutes later.

Ferguson pushed away Sainey Nyasi's shot from inside the box in 67 minutes.

Airdrie looked a solid side in the second half with Scott Stewart working tirelessly in midfield while John Higgins also proved to be one for the future with some powerful challenges.

John O'Brien at New Broomfield.

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