Stenhousemuir emerged victorious from a windy New Broomfield as Airdrie went down to a late goal at home for the second time in four days.

There was only one change to the Diamonds starting line up, with Bryan Prunty coming in for the injured Taylor Morgan.

It was no surprise that the visitors who had the better chances in the first half with a strong wind in their favour.

The game though was only three minutes old when Stenhousemuir’s Jim Paterson put in a very heavy challenge on David Cox, catching him badly to such an extent that he lasted less than 15 minutes more, replaced by Nicolas Šumský.

Airdrie had an early handball shout in seven minutes from a Nicky Cadden attempt after a succession of corners.

A minute later Neil Parry, who was the busiest of the two keepers in the opening half, pushed a 30 yard free kick by Paterson over the crossbar.

From the resulting corner, the visitors near post cross had Airdrie’s defence working to clear the danger and they were able to do so.

Cadden’s early pick up of a loose ball in 13 minutes saw him race to the box then fire the ball wide of goal.

Colin McMenamin forced Parry to touch the ball over the bar from a 30 yard effort that was on target.

Jon Robertson was just over the goal frame with his 20-yarder in 22 minutes.

Cadden and Liam Watt combined in 41 minutes with Watt’s volley flying high over the bar.

Stenhousemuir had the best chance to break the deadlock three minutes from the interval after a great delivery from the left by Alan Cook picked out Lewis Small in the of goal. The striker's header was netbound until Parry’s reflex save saw him push the ball away to his left before it was cleared upfield.

Five minutes after the restart Watt tried to run into the box, a challenge seeing the ball rebound to Bryan Prunty who slashed his effort wide to the far side of goal.

On 57 minutes Cadden cut in from the right and curled a shot that saw keeper Matty Gould struggle to take the ball cleanly before it was cleared for a corner.

Chris O’Neil’s excellent run down the left in 65 minutes was followed by a cutback to Watt though his shot was blocked and Marc Fitzpatrick blasted the rebound well over the crossbar.

Cadden fired wide of goal before Cook weaved his way into the box then fired a shot straight at Parry that the big keeper pushed out.

Two minutes from time Cook's curling front post corner saw Euan Murray rise to head home the only goal.

The Warriors had repeated their early-season late winner to take all the points.

The Lanarkshire derby on Saturday sees Airdrie go into the match with Albion Rovers six points behind, with two games more played.

Since the sides last met in Octover, the Diamonds have won two and lost five of their seven league matches and are now tasked with picking themselves up for a derby tussle.

John O'Brien at New Broomfield.

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