Match Preview: Queen’s Park vs Airdrieonians

The cinch Championship so far:
Queen’s Park sit eighth in the cinch Championship table and go into the meeting with Airdrie looking to avoid a play-off whereas the Diamonds, are heading to a play-off that could see them secure a second successive promotion.
Rhys McCabe’s side, who have already won the SPFL Trust Trophy, presently sit fourth and go into the meeting knowing that a win and a ten-goal swing could see them rise above Partick Thistle in third.

Even if they do not succeed in moving up the way it has been a successful season for Airdrie although it got off to a disappointing start in the Championship when they lost 2-1 to Dunfermline on the opening day.

Wins in Game Day 2 and 3 over Partick Thistle and Inverness Caledonian Thistle got Airdrie up and running however an uncharacteristic 4-0 reverse at Arbroath followed a 2-0 defeat at Dundee United in September.

Airdrie rallied and ended the month with successes over Raith and Morton and the point from the 1-1 draw with Queen’s Park live on BBC Scotland in October lifted them into the top four.

2023 ended in dramatic fashion for Airdrie thanks to Todorov’s winner at Hampden with that result leaving Queen’s Park in bottom spot three points behind Arbroath and four adrift of Inverness.

The success over Queen’s was the first of three consecutive wins and talk of a promotion push gathered pace after a 2-0 win at the Tannadice home of Champions Dundee United just three days before the second 1-1 draw with Queen’s Park.

Only one defeat in nine games ensured that Airdrie grabbed a top four place with their pride restored with a goalless draw against Dundee United following a 4-0 defeat at Partick Thistle.

Squad News
Will Tizzard’s season has come to an end due to a hamstring issue and Jack Thomson will also miss out due to a knee injury. Danny Wilson is a doubt with the long-term injured trio of Ben McPherson, Patrick Jarrett and Grant Savoury again absent.

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Last Time Out
Airdrieonians 1 Queen’s Park 1
cinch Championship.
Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Alex Bannon (Ben McPherson 68), Danny Wilson, Tommy Robson, Louis Longridge (Cillian Sheridan 68), Josh Scott (Cameron Bruce 90+1), Sean Welsh, Jack Turner (Stuart McKinstry 52), Dom Thomas (Mackenzie Carse 90+1), Ruari Paton.
Unused substitutes – Jack Wills (G/k), Will Tizzard, Liam McLeish, Zach Mauchin.
Airdrieonians – Josh Rae, Cammy Ballantyne (Mason Hancock 60), Dean McMaster, Craig Watson, Callum Fordyce, Charlie Telfer (Arron Lyall 60), Adam Frizzell, Liam McStravick (Chris Donnell 60), Kanayo Megwa, Nikolay Todorov, Gabby McGill (Calum Gallagher 68).
Unused substitutes – David Hutton, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, Rhys McCabe, Josh O’Connor, Gavin Gallagher.
Referee – Willie Collum