Airdrie 3 Ross County 4 (AET): Battling Diamonds out of cup after scaring Staggies

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Battling Airdrie were edged out of the Viaplay Cup in extra-time - but not without giving Ross County a real scare in the last 16.The Diamonds came back from 3-1 down at half-time to force extra-time, only for the Premiership side to prevail thanks to substitute Eamon Brophy's 101st minute winner in a seven-goal thriller.Former Diamond Kyle Turner - who had a spell on loan at New Broomfield from Dunfermline in 2021 - bagged the opener for the Staggies after just six minutes, and 60 seconds later set up Jordan White for a second that looked to have put Malky Mackay's men well on their way to the quarter-finals.It was disastrous start for the Diamonds but they pulled one back through Calum Gallagher after 36 minutes.The hosts conceded just two minutes later when Simon Murray slotted home and Airdrie looked to be dead and buried.However, Gallagher netted an 82nd minute penalty after O'Connor was fouled to set up a frantic finish, and in the 89th minute O'Connor grabbed an incredible equaliser with a close range finish to force extra-time.The Diamonds stunned Premiership sides Motherwell, St Mirren and Dundee in this competition in recent years, but their fine record against top flight sides came to a halt when Brophy's diving header from a Dylan Smith cross sent them into the quarter-finals.Airdrie made two changes from last week's Championship win over Partick Thistle.

Player-boss McCabe didn't recover from his knee injury sustained against the Jags and he dropped out of the squad completely, while Josh O'Connor fell to the bench.

Murray Aiken and Gabby McGill came into the starting 11, with striker Nikolay Todorov back in the squad after missing the opening league games with a groin issue.Turner was named in County's