Airdrie’s bid for a great escape from Championship relegation gained further traction after victory over Queen’s Park cut the gap to nearest rivals Hamilton Accies to nine points.
The Diamonds, who have a game in hand, sank Dunfermline last week and they have now followed that up with a narrow 2-1 success over the Spiders, securing back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.
Ben Wilson netted from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time before Josh Scott equalised for the visitors in 59 minutes with a first-time finish inside the box.
But another Wilson penalty in 65 minutes proved the difference as he notched his 12th goal of the campaign and netted for the third game on the bounce.
There was drama at the end as Rangers loanee Adam Devine and Spiders boss Callum Davidson both saw red after angrily claiming for a late penalty for a high boot on Devine in the box.
With 14 games to go, Airdrie now have their Lanarkshire rivals firmly in their sights after Accies slipped to ninth after a 1-0 defeat to Ayr. Dunfermline win over Raith Rovers lifted them up to eighth place.
Spiders were first to threaten and came agonisingly close to taking the lead inside two minutes. Seb Drodz latched onto a long through ball over the top, took a great first touch and fired beyond Kieran Wright, but Craig Watson was covering for the Diamonds and cleared his effort off the line.
Up the other end, Ben Wilson tried to curl a strike into the bottom corner, forcing Calum Ferrie to tip his effort round the post.
Ferries was kept busy as, from the resulting corner, a neat move worked space for Gavin Gallagher to strike and Ferrie had to be alert to batter a fierce strike away.
The frantic start continued and in seven minutes Lewis Strapp outmuscled Nikola Ujdur as they competed for a long ball on the edge of the box. The Diamonds man attempted to lob the ball over the outrushing Ferrie, but the Hampden No.1 got a vital touch to turn it over the bar.
In 16 minutes the Diamonds were forced into an early change when Strapp had to go off with a shoulder injury after attempting a long throw, and he was replaced by Flynn Duffy.
The game quietened down after that but just before the break it came alive again. Airdrie looked to be right in behind when Adam Frizzell’s raking pass found Gavin Gallagher running through, but Ferrie bravely came rushing out to clear the danger with a diving header.
Then, in the final minute of the half, Airdrie took the lead. Gallagher fired at goal and when Welsh stooped to clear, he knocked the ball onto Josh Scott’s hand, leading to referee Iain Sneddon pointing to the spot on the advice of his assistant. Wilson stepped up and sent Ferrie the wrong way from 12 yards to give the Diamonds a half-time lead.
Seven minutes into the second half Airdrie were a whisker away from doubling their lead when Wilson’s pinpoint cross picked out Ricco Diack at the back post. He rose well and looked destined to find the back of the net, but Tizzard denied Diack a maiden Airdrie goal with a vital block on the line.
And that proved crucial as Spiders levelled in 59 minutes. Rangers loanee Adam Devine, making his debut in the clash, produced a defence-splitting pass for Josh Scott to deliver a first-time finish inside the box.
But there was a sense of deja vu about Airdrie’s second goal of the game as Wilson netted from the penalty spot after another handball. This time, Nikola Ujdur was the culprit, blocking a Chris Mochrie cross with his hand, and Wilson drilled a low spot-kick beyond Ferrie to restore Airdrie’s lead. Spiders boss Callum Davidson was booked for venting his frustration in the aftermath.
In the second minute of stoppage time Lewis McGregor rounded Ferrie looking for a third, but dragged his effort wide of the far post.
Spiders pushed for a leveller and Flynn Duffy produced a vital block in the last knockings to deny Timam Scott, before Devine went in for a header and McGregor’s high boot didn’t earn a penalty. That left Spiders fuming and Devine and boss Davidson both saw red in stoppage time for their angry protests.
The Diamonds take a break from league action next week when they travel to Premiership side Dundee in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
AIRDRIE: Wright, Watson, Graham, Straap (Duffy 16), MacDonald, McMaster, Gallagher, Frizzell (Bruce 86), McGrattan (Cooper 86), Wilson (McGregor 86), Diack (Mochrie 60).
Scorers: Wilson 45+1 (pen), 66 (pen)
Bookings: McMaster, McGrattan, Wright
Subs not used: Melrose, Bruce, Hancock, McCabe, McStravick.
QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Scott, Udjur, Devine, Tizzard, Duncan (Evans 57), Turner, Longridge (Scott 74), Welsh, Drozd (Hinds 58), Rudden.
Scorers: Scott 59
Bookings: Devine, Welsh
Sent off: Devine
Subs not used: Wills, Jackson, Carrick, Hickey-Fugaccia, Muchin, Thompson.
HT: 1-0
Ref: Iain Sneddon
Att: 1,446