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Morgyn Neill was the last-gasp goal hero as we edged past the Diamonds in a tense cinch League One tussle at Balmoral Stadium.

Neill’s bullet header two minutes from time – from a pinpoint Shay Logan cross – gave us a victory that, on the balance of play, we deserved.

Central defender Neill and left-back Harry Milne had earlier rattled the Airdrie crossbar with headers too, so it was starting to look like a day when we might have to settle for a share of the spoils.

But we were rewarded for being more adventurous as the clock ticked down, with Neill staying up after a corner had been cleared to make good use of what was a top drawer delivery from Logan.

We stuck by the same starting lineup that won up at Peterhead last week.

There was a place on the bench for midfielder Finlay Robertson, who has joined us on loan from Dundee.

Blair Yule was also back after completing his one match suspension.

The sides were pretty evenly matched in a first half that was sorely lacking in clear-cut scoring opportunities.

Adam Frizzell sent a header wide in the 15th minute and Dylan Easton missed the target with a 20-yard shot a couple of minutes later for the visitors.

We went close in the 22nd minute, when Iain Vigurs sent a free-kick to Rory McAllister and his deft flick from the edge of the six yard box was held by Airdrie keeper Max Currie.

Vigurs also set Connor Scully up for a shot, on the turn, that cleared the Airdrie crossbar.

We were far better in the second period and were desperately unlucky not to go ahead in the 56th minute.

Scully cut open the Airdrie defence with a great pass through to Mitch Megginson and Currie did well to beat his eight yard shot behind for a corner.

Jamie Masson took the corner, from the left, and picked out Milne and his powerful eight-yard header rebounded off the face of the Airdrie bar with Currie well beaten.

Logan gave a taste of what was to come on the hour when his cross from wide on the right gave Megginson the chance to steer a header wide from 10-yards.

Megginson was also unfortunate to see his 22-yard shot deflected just wide as we began to step up the pressure.

The woodwork denied us again in the 73rd minute.

Vigurs sent in a free-kick, from wide on the left, to the back post and Neill’s looping header bounced off the top of the crossbar before going behind.

We kept on probing though and got our just rewards with just two minutes left, when Logan took possession of the ball, wide on the right, after the Airdrie defence had cleared a corner.

Full-back Logan then delivered an exquisite looping cross that fell out of the air perfectly for NEILL to almost rip the net out with a close-range header at the back post.

The big defender was then engulfed by his grateful team-mates as they celebrated claiming what could end up being a valuable three points in what is the tightest of all the leagues in the SPFL.

COVE RANGERS: McKenzie, Neill, Milne, Scully (Leitch 70),  Ross,  Megginson, Masson (Robertson 61), McAllister,  Vigurs, Fyvie (McIntosh 70), Logan.

Subs: Strachan, Yule,  Adeyemo,  Gourlay,

AIRDRIEONIANS: Currie, Watson, Kerr, Easton, Quitongo (Allan 89), Agnew, Smith, Frizzell, Gallagher, McGill, Salim Kouider-Assa.

Subs: Cantley, Caves, McDonald, Walker.

Referee: Peter Stuart | Attendance: 652

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