Dapo Mebude's late goal secured a 1-0 victory for Airdrieonians over St Mirren B in the KDM Evolution Trophy. The League One Diamonds ground out the win in matchday three of the competition's league phase at the Albert Bartlett Stadium on Tuesday.
The decisive moment arrived in the 77th minute. Sam Fisher provided the assist, nodding a cross down into the path of Dapo Mebude inside the penalty area. Mebude controlled the ball and finished smartly past St Mirren B goalkeeper Grant Tamosevicius. It was a reward for Airdrieonians' persistence after creating several chances earlier in the contest. In the 16th minute, Tamosevicius had been called into action to save a 25-yard free-kick from AJ Bridge.
The visitors had opportunities of their own to take the lead. Five minutes after Bridge's free-kick was saved, defender Innes Clark made a vital block to deny Airdrie's Liam McLeish a clear shot on goal. With ten minutes remaining in the first half, St Mirren B's Callum Penman delivered a good cross into the box to find Ben Stoddart, but the chance came to nothing. Their best opening in the second half fell to Jack Lavery, who fired over the bar from the edge of the area after 67 minutes.
St Mirren B fielded a young side, with Grant Tamosevicius starting in goal. The back four consisted of Callum Penman, Kieran Hunter, Innes Clark, and Murray Falconer. Captain Dylan McEvoy anchored the midfield alongside Kyle Hogarth, Dylan Thompson, and Kian Farquhar, with Ben Stoddart and Jack Lavery up front. Manager Stephen Farrell made a series of second-half changes, bringing on Kieran McMillan for Penman after 58 minutes. A double substitution followed in the 81st minute, with Josh De Barros and Robbie Duff replacing Falconer and Thompson. Late switches saw Lewis MacKay and Callum Vaugh come on for Hogarth and Lavery in the 90th minute. The full squad list, including unused substitutes like Innes, O'Rourke, Freel, and Robinson, is available on the Airdrieonians squad page.
The win provides a positive boost for Airdrieonians as they continue their preparations for the League One season. While the KDM Evolution Trophy is a development competition, securing results builds momentum within the squad. The performance of players like goal-scorer Dapo Mebude and provider Sam Fisher will be encouraging for the coaching staff. The clean sheet, achieved against a spirited St Mirren B attack, is another positive takeaway. The Diamonds' next competitive fixture is a League One match against Cove Rangers on Saturday, 12 September.
