Airdrieonians delivered a dominant 7-1 victory over Berwick Rangers in the KDM Evolution Trophy on Saturday afternoon. The emphatic win at the Excelsior Stadium, featuring a Connor Smith hat-trick, propels the League One side into the next round of the competition.

The full-time side were three goals up by half-time, with two coming inside the opening ten minutes. Ewan Simpson opened the scoring after six minutes, finishing from a Lewis Gibson pull-back. Three minutes later, a Gibson corner caused chaos in the Berwick box, with Cole McKinnon credited with the final touch. Smith got his first just before the break.

Gavin Gallagher added a fourth early in the second half, but Berwick pulled one back through Michael Mbewe, set up by Grant Leitch. Airdrieonians then finished strongly, with Kian Taylor scoring from a Smith header before Smith completed his treble with two late goals, both assisted by Matty Yates.

Berwick's interim boss and goalkeeper, Calum Antell, acknowledged the effort from his players. "I think the boys gave it everything," Antell said. "I think after Tuesday night [a 3-2 win over Stranraer] it was a massive effort today to come here."

The result continues Airdrieonians' recent scoring form, following a 6-1 win over Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic earlier in the week. Their recent form now reads two wins and three defeats from their last five outings. They now turn their focus to league action, with a home game against Montrose scheduled for this Saturday at 3pm. The team will aim to carry their goal-scoring momentum into that key fixtures encounter as they look to climb the standings.

For Berwick Rangers, the defeat leaves them 24th in the group stage table. They must beat Queen of the South in their final group game to have any chance of progressing. Airdrieonians' comprehensive performance, which included goals from six different players as shown on the club's stats page, highlighted the squad depth available to manager Rhys McCabe.

The report in full is at northumberlandgazette.co.uk

Airdrieonians host Montrose on Saturday following their 7-1 win over Berwick Rangers on September 26. The club's verified data shows the team is now on a five-game winning streak across all competitions. This run includes a 6-1 victory at Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic on September 22. Manager Rhys McCabe confirmed his side is focused on the league encounter, stating, "We’re in a good moment and must maintain our standards."