Lewis McGregor’s early stunner sent Airdrie into the hat for the fourth round of the Scottish Gas Men’s Scottish Cup, but hosts Dundee North End gave the Diamonds a tough test on Tayside.

Following last week’s postponement, defender Mason Hancock was able to return to the starting XI after missing a number of games through injury.

Goalkeeper Grant Adam was between the sticks for the home side, but injuries ruled out fellow ex-Diamonds Craig Thomson and Ryan McCord.

Airdrie showed early signs of their first-half dominance when a fine threaded pass from Hancock found Lewis McGrattan, but the midfielder’s fourth-minute effort was charged down.

Two minutes later the Diamonds grabbed the only goal of the game in style, a lovely trap by Ben Wilson teeing up McGregor, who sent an unstoppable strike flying into the top corner of Adam’s goal.

Captain Adam Frizzell was driving much of the visitors’ early attacking play, almost finding McGrattan with a 12th-minute cross after being narrowly beaten to a defence-splitting pass.

McGrattan was in action at the other end two minutes later, foiling the Dokens’ first attack of the match with a strong challenge on the edge of the box.

A hat-trick of Wilson chances follow, an improvised backheel flick being blocked behind before another effort was charged down from the resultant corner. The striker’s best opportunity came on 21 minutes when he turned a Rhys Armstrong cross just over the bar.

Armstrong himself went close two minutes later, seeing his strike deflected wide after slaloming through the home defence, and Paul Sludden found no way past Sam Graham as Dundee North End broke upfield shortly after.

Craig Watson was denied by Adam as his header tested the keeper on 28 minutes, and the former Airdrie custodian was there to deny his old team again on the half-hour mark, saving well from a Hancock free-kick.

McGregor was unable to double his tally nine minutes before the break, sending a glancing header wide of the post when it looked easier to score.

The second half became scrappy at times as the heavy pitch saw both sides tire.

The first chance fell to the Diamonds, but Adam reacted sharply to beat Wilson to a 49th-minute McGregor cross.

Hancock saw a decent effort deflected wide on 53 minutes, before being withdrawn after receiving treatment for cramp.

Frizzell was tripped in the box five minutes later, but referee Duncan Nicolson was unmoved. Dundee North End had their own claims waved away as they countered.

Armstrong saw a tame effort smothered by Adam on the hour-mark, with the home side breaking well again, Cammy Dow curling wide on this occasion.

Frizzell and Brian Rice then traded efforts, but neither could find the target as the game became stretched.

A spell of bookings and substitutions disrupted play before Wright made his only meaningful save of the afternoon, palming out captain Frankie Devine’s drive from the edge of the box.

Gavin Gallagher almost added a second with a nice 82nd-minute lob, the ball sailing over Adam but headed off the line by a defender.

Armstrong tried to deceive Adam with a near-post free-kick delivery in the final minute, but the veteran keeper made the save and the match ended with a narrow Diamonds victory.

A potential banana-skin avoided, Airdrie now await tomorrow evening’s fourth round draw to find out their next opponents.