A goal in each half consigned Airdrie to a second consecutive defeat as Morton registered their first win of the season.

The Diamonds had yet more enforced changes as their burgeoning injury list worsened again last weekend, knocks in the 2-0 home defeat to Falkirk ruling out Luke Badley-Morgan and Terrell Agyemang, while Mason Hancock was only fit enough to be named on the bench after feeling tightness in his hamstring. Cammy Bruce, Craig Watson, Rhys Armstrong and Lewis McGregor came into the starting XI with Aaron Reid also dropping out.

Morton boss Dougie Imrie named ex-Airdrie men Cammy Ballantyne and Arron Lyall among his line-up.

The home side were first to threaten, Ali Crawford sending a second-minute free-kick over the bar before Owen Moffat was denied by Sam Graham as he jinked into the box.

Lamar Reynolds sent a strike over the bar on eight minutes, while Lyall had to stretch to prevent a through ball leaving Ben Wilson one-on-one two minutes later.

The Diamonds enjoyed a bit of momentum with a neat passing move on 14 minutes, which ended with Bruce’s cross drifting behind, and McGregor was well marshalled as the defender atoned with a fine diagonal pass.

Kirk Broadfoot should have done better after getting on the end of a 19th-minute Crawford free-kick, but the former Rangers defender poked the ball straight into Murray Johnson’s arms.

Airdrie came closest midway through the half, McGregor hitting the bye-line and sending in a low cross which Wilson touched across the face of goal, but despite beating Ryan Mullen the ball rolled wide of the post.

Moffat found space to get a shot away on 27 minutes, but the midfielder’s effort cleared the bar, and Johnson claimed a Lyall effort five minutes later.

Armstrong blazed over the bar after some good Diamonds play on the left after 38 minutes, with a touch taking Adam Frizzell’s shot into the side netting seconds later.

With four minutes of the half remaining, Morton took the lead as a curling Niall McGinn cross found Delaney at the back post, and Watson could only help the ball into the roof of the net as the Irishman headed home.

Lyall made an ambitious effort to double his side’s lead just after the restart, but his long-range effort sailed wide. As Morton continued to press, Armstrong was booked for a foul on the edge of the penalty area.

McGregor almost sent Wilson through a minute later, but Broadfoot got enough on the ball to allow Mullen to gather ahead of the Airdrie striker.

Reynolds failed to connect with a 49th-minute Moffat cross, but Airdrie’s luck ran out four minutes later when Armstrong dived into a challenge on the halfway line. The midfielder’s tackle was late, and referee Gavin Duncan flashed a second yellow card before giving the Diamonds man his marching orders.

As Airdrie regrouped, Johnson kept the scoreline down with a fantastic reflex save from Reynolds, who went close again with a header from the resultant corner.

Ballantyne should have scored against his old club on 63 minutes, bursting on to a defence-splitting pass and rattling the crossbar just as the net seemed set to bulge.

Graham and Gavin Gallagher defended well as the home side continued their assault on the Airdrie goal, with Moffat also unable to make the numerical advantage count as he curled over on 74 minutes.

A raft of changes did little to alter the pattern of play, and it took another top save from Johnson to keep Lyall at bay with six minutes remaining.

Morton’s second did eventually come three minutes later, and Ballantyne did get his name on the scoresheet, pouncing on a clearance from a corner kick and firing through a raft of players.

Airdrie’s day was summed up in the final minute when substitute Cammy Cooper charged down a Mullen clearance. Advancing on goal, Frizzell opted to pass instead of shooting, and the chance fizzled out.

The result sees Airdrie fall to the bottom of the table on goal difference, though positions are typically tight at this early stage.

A trip to Livingston is next up for the Diamonds, and manager Rhys McCabe will be hoping to have more able bodies to call on ahead of another tough encounter.