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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Paul Thomson

Dunfermline 1 Airdrie 1: Sub keeper Hutton saves 10-man Diamonds late on

Substitute goalkeeper David Hutton saved a late penalty to earn a point for 10-man Airdrie - as they held league leaders Dunfermline in a second drama-filled battle inside a week.

Last Saturday, the Diamonds were 3-0 up before going down to 10 men and losing 4-3 at New Broomfield last week.

And they looked set to suffer a similar fate at East End Park when Ben Stanway's first-half opener was cancelled out by substitute Nikolay Todorov's header, and then the hosts earned a late penalty.

Airdrie goalkeeper Josh Rae was sent off for bringing down Craig Wighton inside the box and the Diamonds were forced to sacrifice Stanway to make way for Hutton to tend the goal.

Pars skipper Kyle Benedictus stepped up to take the penalty but 37-year-old Hutton produced his heroics to claim a share of the spoils.

The Diamonds made two changes from last week’s 4-3 defeat to the Pars. Ben Stanway and Craig Watson came in at the expense of Aaron Taylor-Sinclair and the suspended Callum Smith, who was sent off in the New Broomfield clash.

Last week's matchwinner Nikolay Todorov again started on the bench for Dunfermline, who made three changes from their last outing. Kyle MacDonald, Joe Chalmers and Lewis McCann all dropped to the bench as Chris Mochrie, Robbie Mahon and Kane Ritchie-Hosler came in.

Ben Stanway, centre, was on target (John Steven)

The first glimpse of an opportunity came in 13 minutes when Adam Frizzell got in behind the Dunfermline defence dow the left-wing and his sizzling driven delivery flashed across the face of goal without any takers.

Just moments later the Pars should have been in front. Josh Edwards' cross into the box picked out Robbie Mahon perfectly but his first-time effort flashed inches wide of the post from 10 yards out.

It was a big warning for the visitors and they had another in the 20th minute when Mahon threaded a tremendous ball through for last week's two-goal hero Matthew Todd. The striker took the ball in his stride and only some close attention from Cammy Ballantyne did enough to put him off and his weak effort was smothered by Josh Rae in the Diamonds' goal.

Fordyce (centre) went close for the Diamonds early on (John Steven)

In 27 minutes it was the Diamonds who came the closest yet to breaking the deadlock when Charlie Telfer whipped in a corner to the back post and Callum Fodryce saw his header come back off the crossbar, then the post and into the grateful hands of Pars keeper Deniz Mehmet.

An thumping strike from distance from Ben Stanway then forced Mehmet into a good stop down low, as Airdrie kept up the pressure on the hosts.

But Stanway's next effort did find the back of the net. With 38 minutes on the clock a sweeping move from the Diamonds created space for Telfer and his reverse ball on the right picked out Ballantye to cross for Stanway, who stroked the ball home from close range to finish off a terrific piece of play.

In the second half the Pars pushed for a way back into the game and Rae had to produce a fine save to keep out Mahon's curling strike seven minutes after the re-start.

Airdrie created their first opening of the second period on the hour mark when McGill nodded the ball down perfectly for Adam Frizzell on the edge of the box, but he snatched at the shot and skewed his striker wide from 20-yards.

In 71 minutes the Pars thought they'd equalised when substitute Todorov headed the ball towards the far corner from Ritchie-Hosler's cross, but his effort came back off the inside of the post and Rae collected, with the home fans' cheers quickly turning to groans.

However, Airdrie failed to heed that warning and just a minute later Todorov headed home at the near post from Joe Chalmers' cross. That sparked a melee in the Airdrie goalmouth as Todorov shoved Rae to grab the ball back. Once it all calmed down, referee Ross Hardie dished out bookings to Rae and Watson of Airdrie and Pars' Lewis McCann to clam things down.

The drama was far from over as Airdrie looked to have capitulated once again in the 82nd minute when a loose back pass from Cammy Ballantyne gave Josh Rae work to do and he brought down Wighton trying to retrieve the ball in the box.

He picked up a second booking for his tyroubles and Airdrie had to sacrifice Stanway to bring on substitute keeper Hutton.

But Hutton produced the goods when he guessed correctly and parried away Benedictus' penalty kick in a dramatic finish.

The Diamonds are back in action next Saturday when they host second-place Falkirk.

DUNFERMLINE: Mehmet, Breen, Benedictus, Comrie, Hamilton (Chalmers 66), Edwards, Mahon (McCann 55), Todd (Todorov 66), Mochrie, Ritchie-Hosler, Wighton.

Scorers: Todorov 72

Bookings: McCann, Ritchie-Hosler

Subs not used: Little, MacDonald, O'Hara, Otoo, Allan, Fenton.

AIRDRIEONIANS: Rae, Watson, Deveney, Fordyce, Ballantyne, Stanway (Hutton 83), McCabe, Telfer, Frizzell, Gallagher (Kouider-Aissa 90), McGill.

Scorers: Stanway 38

Bookings: McCabe, Rae, Watson, Deveney

Sent off: Rae

Subs not used: McMaster, McGregor, Byrd, Prince, Devenny, Dixon, Taylor-Sinclair.

HT: 0-1

Ref: Ross Hardie

Att: 4,468

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