Airdrie 1-1 East Fife

East Fife held Airdrie to a draw at the Excelsior Stadium.

A first half Kevin Smith header put the visitors ahead at the break only for Iain Russell to level matters in the second half from the spot.

It was an afternoon when both sides had chances to win the game with the draw probably a fair result.

Naysmith said: “We had to work hard to get the point.

“Airdrie didn’t have a lot of clear cut chances but they did have a lot of possession with the ball.

“That’s how they play.

“But we deserved the point and I said to the players that I was pleased with that.

“We restricted them to a few chances and showed a really good attitude.

“Obviously we want to win every game but we have to be realistic and say that we’ve come to play a full-time club and left with a point.”

East Fife welcomed back midfielder Ross Brown who took the place of the injured Scott Robinson.

The visitors started the game well and should have taken the lead on the 10 minute mark when Andy Ryan was allowed a clear shot at goal from eight yards.

But the Fifers were let off as Ryan screwed his strike well wide.

Totally out of the blue East Fife grabbed the opening goal of the game.

Mark Lamont twisted and turned out on the wing and created enough space for himself to send a deep cross into the box.

Smith was lurking and powered a header past Rohan Ferguson.

The goal knocked the hosts out of their early rhythm and their cause wasn’t helped by an injury to striker Conor McLaughlin which saw him replaced by Kevin Schmidt.

Airdrie had a couple of penalty shouts snubbed by ref Graham Beaton with the home side feeling Kyle Wilkie and Jonathan Page had handled inside the box.

But Beaton was in no doubt about the spot kick he did award the hosts after Page bundled over Ryan.

Iain Russell stepped up and sent Mark Hurst the wrong way from the spot.

It was then the turn of the Methil club to make an appeal to Beaton for a penalty after Smith appeared to be tripped on the edge of the box by Daniel Boateng.

The ref was in a good position to make a judgement and ruled there had been no foul.