A strike of real quality from substitute Lewis McGrattan was enough to secure the points as Airdrie came out on top after a tense encounter with Raith Rovers.

Midfielder McGrattan dropped to the bench as Diamonds boss Rhys McCabe rotated his squad ahead of a busy period. Also dropping out of Saturday’s starting XI were Mason Hancock, Sam Graham and Rhys Armstrong – Lewis Strapp, Aidan Wilson, Gavin Gallagher and Liam McStravick the replacements.

Both sides came into the match in good form, but a first start of the season for McStravick and a first in six months for Wilson proved a welcome boost to the Diamonds, who started the game brightly.

McStravick’s second-minute cross was headed clear after a fine crossfield pass from Strapp, and a minute later Dylan MacDonald provided a similar set-up for Strapp, who saw his first touch pounced upon by ex-Diamond Josh Rae in the visitors’ goal.

Rae raced out of his box on six minutes, blocking Ben Wilson’s shot with a knee, and Airdrie’s appeals for a handball by the keeper went unheard.

Raith’s first real attack came on the 15-minute mark as a defensive stumble almost allowed the visitors through on goal, but a superb interception by Alex Bannon prevented the chance.

Jamie Gullan curled wide four minutes later, with Airdrie retaliating through Chris Mochrie who turned his man and skipped into the box to tee up Adam Frizzell, the Diamonds skipper sending a low effort just wide of the far post.

Finlay Pollock saw a near-post cross comfortably taken by Wright on 28 minutes, with the winger lucky to escape punishment for a knee-high challenge on McStravick minutes before.

A Gullan cross and a Josh Mullin header provided easy catches for Wright as the visitors began to apply pressure in the final 15 minutes of the half, with McMaster then blocking Lewis Stevenson’s stinging effort.

Scott Brown has scored a handful of fine long-range goals against the Diamonds across his career, but when the ball fell to the Raith captain on 37 minutes he sent his effort high and wide.

A fine Bannon tackle stopped Pollock’s progress five minutes from half-time, and right on the whistle Strapp saw a strike deflected into Rae’s grasp after Frizzell and Mochrie had outnumbered Dylan Easton.

Just as they had in the first half, Airdrie started the second period with attacking intent, McStravick’s cross evading the incoming attackers on 48 minutes before Mochrie did put the ball in the net a minute later, but the midfielder had already been flagged offside.

Pollock sent a 55th-minute volley wide of the target before a double change saw McStravick and Mochrie make way for McGrattan and Ricco Diack.

As the momentum began to swing back to the home side around the hour-mark, Aidan Wilson headed a McGrattan cross wide before Gullan’s long-range effort missed the target at the other end.

On 70 minutes Wright was out of his box sharply to clear the danger and set up an attack which ended with Paul Hanlon diving to block a McGrattan strike.

The Diamonds sub was looking increasingly lively, and a wonderful pass down the line allowed MacDonald to win a corner which resulted in a Strapp strike which Rae did well to punch out.

It looked like the former Airdrie keeper was in unbeatable form when he pawed away Aidan Wilson’s header from another McGrattan delivery on 77 minutes, but there was no stopping the Airdrie goal when it did come a minute later.

McMaster and Bannon combined to spread play to MacDonald, who cut in from the right, drawing out Stevenson and creating a gap to pick out McGrattan’s clever movement. The Diamonds midfielder controlled, took a touch, and curled an exquisite effort beyond Rae’s despairing dive.

A lesson in game management followed from Airdrie, who retained possession when necessary, slowed play with substitutions, and defended well when called upon.

A late block by Bannon prevented a chance after Wright’s punch had fallen kindly for the visitors, and the Diamonds keeper was alert to intercept a stoppage-time diagonal for substitute Kai Montagu.

The final whistle signalled a fantastic result for Airdrie, who narrow the gap at the bottom to seven points with Dunfermline Athletic losing at Hamilton.