East Fife 2-1 Airdrie

East Fife aren't letting their play-off ambitions go down without a fight.
The Fifers left it late to see off Airdrie.The Fifers left it late to see off Airdrie.
The Fifers left it late to see off Airdrie.

With eight games of the season left, the Fifers are now nine points adrift of the top four.

Games are sadly running out, but there's still a glimmer of hope after the side rescued all three points at Bayview thanks to Kyle Wilkie's injury time winner.

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Had that not came, then you'd have to admit the Fifers were going to be hard pressed to make the play-offs and give themselves a shot of reaching the Championship.

But it did come, and now East Fife go into two pivotal away games, at Alloa and Raith Rovers, which could really shape how the final few games will pan out.

Six points, three against one of those sides currently occupying a play-off spot, would really see Darren Young's side breathing down the neck of the top four.

They stayed on course thanks to this 2-1 win at Bayview.

It was by no means the best the side has played this season, with the Fifers having performed better and lost.

That in itself is satisfying at this stage in the campaign.

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Airdrie started the better of the two and it took East Fife until shortly before the quarter of an hour mark to really create a chance of note.

But it was a chance they took.

Matthew Knox did well out on the wing and sent in a cross which the Diamonds defence had chances to to clear.

They didn't, and instead the ball bobbled around the box.

There waiting to pounce was Chris Duggan, and his fantastic technique to get off his feet and connect with a bicycle kick was rewarded with the ball nestling in the corner.

Instead of the goal settling East Fife down it was the visitors who went on to control the rest of the half.

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An equaliser looked on the cards and it duly arrived when Daniel Higgins sent a terrific strike beyond Ben MacKenzie in the home goal.

East Fife din't react particularly well to the goal and seemed stuck in second gear.

Things had to change, and with the quality of Kevin Smith, Mark Lamont and Kyle Wilkie on the bench, Darren Young was able to do just that.

It paid off in terrific style, with Wilkie meeting a Lamont corner in the closing seconds to grab all three points.

Boss Young said: “The boys are buzzing.

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“We did the same against Albion Rovers, getting a last minute winner so the team can’t come back at you.

“It’s a great way to win a game; it’s a great feeling.

“We weren’t wanting to settle for a draw but the game was playing itself out but we got that last chance at the end.

“We’ll take it with open arms.”

East Fife - MacKenzie, Dunsmore, Page, Watson, Slattery (Smith 60), Duggan, McManus, Millar (Wilkie 80), Allardice, Linton, Knox (Lamont 60).

Subs - Goodfellow, Kane, Jones, Livingstone.

Airdrie - Muir, Higgins, MacDonald, McGregor, Cairns, R Brown (Conroy 64), Stewart, Edwards (Duffy 72), Russell, Carrick, A Brown (Hastie 64).

Subs - Ferguson, O’Neill, Brownlie, Fry.

Ref - Grant Irvine.

Att - 473.