AIRDRIE United belied their underdog tag to conjure up three superb points at Livingston.
No-one in the ground, not even the most ardent Airdrie fan, could have seen this result coming after the opening half hour, but fair play to the visitors, as they ground out a fantastic result against the three-match league leaders.
Livingston mus
t have been shell-shocked at half-time, after dominating the first half, but there was nothing to show for their endeavour.
On paper this game had the makings of a real thriller, Livingston hoping to add to their recent great run, and the visitors, arriving at Almondvale on the back of an Alba Challenge Cup quarter-final victory at Cowdenbeath, and a 5-0 thumping of Morton in their last league outing.
Livingston suffered a blow pre-match, when skipper James McPake failed to recover from injury, and he was replaced by Cameron McDonald. The home side also handed a debut to on-loan Hearts striker Calum Elliot, after injury robbed them of top scorer Leigh Griffiths.
Kenny Black's Airdrie have looked impressive lately, and in goalkeeper Stephen Robertson they have a player right at the top of his game and Diamonds captain Paul Lovering started his first league game of the season, after serving a ban, carried over from last season.
The home side started brightly, and an excellent move by Anthony McPartland, looked set to hand Elliot a debut goal, but Airdrie defender Bobby Donnelly produced a brilliant tackle to scoop the ball away.
Livingston's Joe Hamill tried his luck from 20 yards, but his home-town club survived as his effort sailed over in the sixth minute.
Airdrie were under the cosh in these opening stages, and Robertson was called into action in the 10th minute, to deny Rocco Quinn, after he had robbed the ball from Lovering just on the edge of the Airdrie area, but the keeper did well to push Quinn's low shot away.
Ten minutes later, the keeper produced a breathtaking save, diving to his right to fingertip a stunning McPartland 25 yard shot away from goal, as it looked odds-on he player would score. In 22 minutes Robertson again had to push a ball away, this time to keep out Elliot's angled drive, as the home side tried desperately to make their pressure count.
Airdrie's first real opening came two minutes later, when Steven McDougall's dangerous cross from the right was headed clear, just as Simon Lynch prepared to head his side in front.
But it was backs against the wall again for the Diamonds after being cut open by Elliot and Quinn, and the on loan Celt's swerving shot again had to be dealt with by Robertson.
In 31 minutes Paul Di Giacomo ran on to Lynch's flick but couldn't shake off Chris Innes, and shot over.
Against all the odds Airdrie grabbed the lead. Marc Smyth sent a great crossfield ball towards Lynch. He got in ahead of Innes before creating space and thumping an unstoppable right foot volley, from just inside the box, beyond the helpless Pierre Martini after 34 minutes.
Lynch could and possibly should have doubled the lead just before half-time, but he headed over after great work by Lovering to deliver the cross.
Di Giacomo produced a great hit from 25 yards just three minutes into the second half, but had the keeper scrambling, but went just wide.
It was a different Airdrie in the second half as Lynch, once again, had a brilliant chance to add to the scoreline. Dougall again was the supplier, when he made space on the right before crossing into the box, where Lynch found space ten yards out before turning only to shoot over.
In 64 minutes Lynch was clear, on a one-on-one situation, after a fine ball from Kevin McDonald, only to screw his shot wide of Martini's right hand post.
A minute later the visitors doubled their lead, and it was an outstanding individual effort. Scott McLaughlin parried the Livingston midfield out of possession in the centre of the park, before unleashing an incredible left-foot shot from fully 25 yards that had everyone in the ground on their feet.
The home side though did manage to grab a consolation, two minutes into injury time in a game that didn't even produce a yellow card, when Elliot was well placed at the back post to prod home after a cross from Cuenca.
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