Airdrie started this season’s SPFL Trust Trophy campaign the same way they finished last year’s – with a win, as goals from Adam Frizzell, Chris Mochrie and Lewis McGregor saw the Diamonds ease past Queen of the South.

Rhys McCabe’s side arrived at a blazing-hot Palmerston Park having already seen off the Doonhamers in the Premier Sports Cup earlier this season, with the Diamonds boss making four changes to the side which started against Hamilton Academical last weekend.

With Murray Johnson on Scotland U21 duty, Kieran Wright reclaimed the goalkeeper’s shirt, while Cammy Bruce, Aaron Reid and Mochrie came in for Mason Hancock, Lewis McGrattan and Rhys Armstrong.

Ex-Diamond Leighton McIntosh led the line for Peter Murphy’s side, having missed the July meeting through injury.

It was the home side who threatened first, though Ben Johnstone’s second-minute shot did little to trouble Wright. Reece Lyon flicked a header wide of the target two minutes later as Queens countered a well-defended Airdrie attack.

Ben Wilson sent a close-range effort over the bar after some impressive shuffling footwork by Gavin Gallagher, but the Diamonds only had a few more minutes to wait for the opener.

Ben Wilson’s free-kick clipped the top of the wall, with skipper Adam Frizzell reacting quickest to get across the six-yard box and plant a downward header into Jay Hogarth’s net.

Queen of the South pushed for a quick equaliser, but their efforts were blocked and almost backfired as Mochrie was left with half of the field to attack. Rounding the goalkeeper, the former Dundee United man scooped the ball goalward only to be denied by the upright.

Matty Douglas nodded an 18th-minute free-kick wide before a good block halted Frizzell’s progress after some tight interplay with Gallagher.

Wilson was surrounded by blue shirts after Reid had fashioned a chance from the left flank on 23 minutes, and the Northern Irishman was denied by a fantastic Hogarth save a minute later, a silky passing move ending with the Rangers loanee thwarting the Airdrie striker at point-blank range.

Terrell Agyemang picked out Dylan MacDonald with a wonderful diagonal ball just after the half-hour mark, but the defender’s low cross was blocked out for a corner.

MacDonald was in action at the other end two minutes later, breaking up a promising counter-attack by the home side.

Queens came close to a 34th-minute equaliser when Josh Walker’s bending effort crashed back off the post, Jack Hannah snatching at the rebound and blazing over the bar.

Brennan Dickenson had the last chance of the first half, but sent his strike wide of the near post on 41 minutes.

Gallagher almost grabbed an impressive second two minutes after the restart, but a last-ditch tackle prevented the midfielder from applying the finishing touch to a snappy passage of play.

Reid headed over after good work from Bruce on 50 minutes, and the young defender tried to go it alone eight minutes later, but Hogarth got behind his 25-yard strike.

Airdrie’s second did come on 64 minutes, and it was a first Diamonds goal for Chris Mochrie, who turned away from his marker after receiving a Bruce pass. With a flying block coming in from the side, the midfielder squeezed a tidy finish inside Hogarth’s post to make it 2-0.

After a water break and a handful of substitutions, Airdrie made it three with the returning Lewis McGregor latching on to a superb long pass from Sam Graham, chesting the ball on and picking up the loose ball after Hogarth saved at his feet. As the Diamonds winger squared for Wilson to tap home, the ball struck the unfortunate keeper’s thigh and squirmed into the net.

Hogarth repeated the feat on 74 minutes, this time denying McGregor after a pass from sub Cammy Cooper, and on this occasion a covering defender managed to clear.

There was time for an impressive cameo from Rhys Armstrong, who defended well on a number of occasions as the hosts threw men forward in search of a consolation.

Wilson and McIntosh exchanged chances with five minutes remaining, but both cleared the crossbar, and a late Hogarth save from Murray Aiken ensured the winning margin remained at three.

Airdrie now enter the fourth round, with Tuesday’s draw at Hampden Park determining their next opposition as they seek to ensure that the trophy remains in the Diamonds boardroom.