Airdrie triumphed over Hamilton after a dramatic end to the match saw substitute Gavin Gallagher grab the winner with his second goal in the fixture this season.

The relegation six-pointer was as tense as expected, but it was the Diamonds who came out on top for the first time in the season’s four meetings.

There were changes in shape and personnel as Rhys McCabe handed a senior debut to teenage goalkeeper Cade Melrose, and also returned to the action himself. Lewis McGrattan and Aaron Reid also started as Kieran Wright, Dean McMaster, Chris Mochrie and Gallagher dropped to the bench.

Ex-Diamonds Dean Lyness and Kyle MacDonald started for the visitors, with Nikolay Todorov and Charlie Telfer among the subs.

Airdrie were almost ahead inside five minutes, Liam McStravick picking out the run of Reid whose low shot beat Lyness but bounced back off the far post. Sean McGinty’s flying challenge prevented Adam Frizzell tucking away the rebound.

Hamilton responded with a series of corners, Melrose confidently palming out the first while the last was dealt with by Dylan MacDonald.

Melrose was alert to beat Oli Shaw to Steven Bradley’s 14th-minute pass, and Aidan Wilson headed over his own bar a minute later as Accies began to dominate a scrappy opening period.

Connor Smith saw a rasping 17th-minute drive deflected over, and it was Hamilton’s turn to hit the woodwork five minutes later, Bradley’s free-kick clipping the crossbar on its way over.

It took a big stop from Lyness to prevent Ben Wilson opening the scoring on 23 minutes after McGrattan had done well to win possession and send the striker through one-on-one.

The former Airdrie keeper got away with one shortly after, missing his punch on a corner kick and watching gratefully as his defence scrambled the ball to safety.

Wilson’s 27th-minute penalty claims were waved away after a high tackle took the Northern Irishman down in the box, and the visitors were making their own claims five minutes later as Shaw went over, but again the appeals were ignored.

As half-time ticked closer Reid forced a save from Lyness with a 25-yard strike, and with ten minutes of the first half remaining it was the visitors’ turn to pass up a one-on-one opportunity, Shaw turning Smith’s through-ball wide of the post after Melrose had done well to narrow the angle.

The Diamonds debutant raced out of his box to challenge Shaw for a 38th-minute pass, clearing the danger despite the Accies striker’s claims that he was fouled.

Reid headed wide on 40 minutes, and good reactions from Melrose saw him save an hold a snap shot from MacDonald two minutes later.

The second half opened with a Reghan Tumilty shot which fizzed past the post, and Wilson turned over after Lyness had parried McStravick’s strike at the other end.

Frizzell almost saw his low 64th-minute cross sneaking in at the front post, but Lyness did well to react and keep the ball out.

The pair faced off again two minutes later, and this time the deadlock was broken. Frizzell’s driving run through the middle was met by a shirt-pull from MacDonald, but referee Steven McLean signalled the advantage as Frizzell continued, playing a one-two with Lewis Strapp and firing at goal. As the recovering MacDonald slid in, his touch saw the Airdrie skipper’s shot loop up over Lyness and into the net.

Jackson Longridge should have levelled the tie on 73 minutes, but he inexplicably failed to connect with substitute Euan Henderson’s low cross.

A trio of Airdrie changes saw the introduction of the players who would win the match for the Diamonds as Gallagher, Mochrie and Ricco Diack replaced McGrattan, McStravick and Ben Wilson.

Diack was the first to threaten, an effort two minutes after coming on well cleared by McGinty.

A minute later Shaw headed over, then Gallagher drew a save from Lyness with a curling effort as play swung from end to end.

With seven minutes remaining Hamilton grabbed an equaliser, Smith’s excellent free-kick delivery met by a towering McGinty header which left Melrose with no chance.

Although the home crowd were deflated, the Diamonds on the park were not, and barely two minutes later Gallagher had his side back in front with an excellent finish after controlling a square pass from Mochrie on the edge of the box.

A committed effort from every Airdrie player saw out the remaining five minutes plus the seven added on, with a red card for manager Rhys McCabe after remonstrating about a poor decision the only blot on the copybook.

The win, coupled with Dunfermline’s defeat to Falkirk, sees the Diamonds narrow the gap at the bottom. Ahead of next week’s clash with Livingston, Airdrie trail the Pars by seven points and Hamilton by eight, with another gargantuan effort required to match today’s gritty performance.