Airdrie extended their unbeaten run to six matches in their first competitive goalless draw in almost three years.

 

It was also the Diamonds’ first point of the season against East Fife.

 

Jordan McGregor returned to the starting line up after putting pen to paper on a new contract, with ankle injury victim Dean Cairns making way.

 

Airdrie’s bright start saw them win a free kick on the edge of the box after Jake Hastie was fouled in the first minute. East Fife keeper Ryan Goodfellow was alert to Luke Watt’s clipped shot and pushed the ball over his crossbar.

 

David Brownlie headed the ball over the East Fife goal from the subsequent corner.

 

As the home side continued to press, Hastie fired wide of goal from Willis Furtado’s through ball a minute later.

 

The visitors had their first attempt on ten minutes after a good run by Mark Lamont was followed with a 20-yard shot which failed to trouble Rohan Ferguson.

 

Efforts around goal failed to threaten as both strived to break the deadlock, with Watt and Furtado going closest for Airdrie.

 

On 18 minutes Brownlie got a header was on target, forcing Goodfellow to gather after Hastie’s delivery. Three minutes later Furtado did the same from Tom Fry’s cross. 

 

Mark Docherty had a 25-yard effort blocked on 29 minutes with the ball running safely through to Ferguson, while Watt managed to create some room for himself a minute later but could only fire the ball wide of Goodfellow’s goal. 

 

Three minutes after the break Airdrie had Fry to thank when he was on hand to clear away Docherty’s headed attempt on goal.

 

Good play from Furtado in 53 minutes saw him pick out Josh Edwards whose instant angled shot was just wide of the right post.

 

East Fife were close to the opening goal in 61 minutes after Nathan Flanagan sent a whipped cross for Chris Duggan to head for goal, only for Rohan Ferguson to make the save of the match, diving to his right to push the ball away. 

 

With 12 minutes remaining, Flanagan’s turn and shot from the edge of the box was high over Ferguson’s goal and in stoppage time Fry blasted an effort from similar distance well over the East Fife goal. 

 

Despite having had the greater percentage of possession, Airdrie had difficulty in breaking down the packed visiting defence and had to settle for a point.  

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Referee: Mr David Lowe

Attendance: 734