Rhys McCabe and Dean McMaster made their long-awaited Airdrie returns, but two goals at the tail end of the first half handed the points to Partick Thistle at the Albert Bartlett Stadium.

With defender Luke Badley-Morgan sidelined, player-manager McCabe returned to the heart of the Diamonds defence earlier than planned, while midfielder McMaster put in an eye-catching performance on his hour-long return in spite of the result.

Kyle Turner started in an unaccustomed full-back position for the visitors, with fellow ex-Diamond Kanayo Megwa only fit enough for the bench, while the injured Ben Stanway missed out altogether.

It was the Maryhill side who made the early running, Kieran Wright having to save with his feet in the fourth minute before a long-range strike from Daniel O’Reilly took a touch as it cleared the bar a minute later.

Airdrie’s first attack saw goalkeeper Myles Roberts clutching an eighth-minute Lewis McGregor cross as Lewis McGrattan closed in, and five minutes later Craig Watson was off-target with a 25-yard strike after some neat build-up play.

Flynn Duffy saw his cross turned behind for a corner after 15 minutes, but Thistle responded well to the Airdrie pressure, Scott Robinson firing over on 21 minutes before Wright saved well from the same player ten minutes later.

Adam Frizzell went close to opening the scoring on 37 minutes, his strike looping up off O’Reilly and beating Roberts only to bounce off the top of the bar.

A minute later the visitors were in front, a crossfield pass not adequately dealt with allowing Robinson to slide in Logan Chalmers, who crossed for Brian Graham to convert at the front post.

Thistle’s second came with two minutes of the half remaining, McCabe’s header from a corner kick spinning up in the air, and O’Reilly rising highest to nod home.

The second half saw plenty of possession in the attacking half for the Diamonds, but Kris Doolan’s side defended solidly throughout.

McGregor saw a 53rd-minute strike blocked for a corner after the ball had bounced around the box, with the frontman denied one-on-one by Roberts five minutes later after Aidan Fitzpatrick had sent a stinging effort just over the top.

Half-hearted penalty claims were ignored on the hour mark as Chris Mochrie was bundled over in the box, with Roberts getting behind McGrattan’s effort five minutes later.

Fitzpatrick was wasteful again on 69 minutes as Thistle looked to increase their lead on the counter, with Turner’s weak 76th-minute effort easy for Wright.

Airdrie sub Cammy Cooper had the ball nicked off his toes by Lee Ashcroft just as he was about to unleash a shot with 11 minutes remaining, and Roberts made a brilliant fingertip save to deny another Diamonds substitute, Gavin Gallagher, on 85 minutes.

Terrell Agyemang’s 87th-minute penalty claim was ambitious at best, and the match fizzled out with a stoppage time McGrattan effort deflected straight into Roberts’ arms.

With Dunfermline Athletic also losing, it’s as you were at the bottom of the table – with the Diamonds facing a festive derby trip to Hamilton next week.