AIRDRIE got their hands on silverware at the weekend with a Challenge Cup success against Welsh champions TNS.
But they could yet still top that by winning promotion to the Scottish Premiership.
The Diamonds travel to Somerset Park on Friday for a televised game against Ayr United.
The Championship is arguably the most exciting league in Scotland's four tiers. No one seems to want to win it, with Dundee United and Raith Rovers continually slipping up.
And no one else can get any kind of consistency going to mount a challenge.
Partick Thistle look nailed on in third and Arbroath look doomed at the bottom, but there are just seven points separating fourth placed Airdrie and Caley Thistle in the relegation play-off spot.
A win for Ayr would put them, temporarily at least, just one point off the play-off spots, but manager Scott Brown was livid at his side's poor display last week when they lost to Queen's Park.
The Honest Men are the very definition of inconsistent – in their last eight league games, their record reads: WLWLWLWL!
Airdrie were tipped to struggle this season after promotion but player manager Rhys McCabe has done a sensational job at the age of just 31 and his side are unbeaten in their last six games.
How the bookies view it
Ayr United are favourites here at 11/8 with bet365.
Airdrie can be backed at 17/10 with William Hill and the draw is 12/5 with bet365.
Recent head to heads
Aye have something of the Indian sign over Airdrie this season – they have won all three league meetings.In fact, they have won the last five meetings between the clubs.
Players to watch
Anton Dowds scored a hat-trick against Airdrie last month in Lanarkshire so the Diamonds will have to keep the former Partick Thistle striker quiet. He is 21/10 to score anytime with bet365.
Nikolay Todorov was the hero for Airdrie in their Challenge Cup win when he converted a late penalty to win the cup and net his tenth goal of the season. The Bulgarian is 21/10 to score anytime with UniBet.
Anything else catch the eye?
You would expect Scott Brown to get a reaction from his Ayr players and they can bring the celebrating Airdrie players back down to size with a win.
Ayr have clearly got the measure of Airdrie this season and a win here helps push them closer to a play-off spot and more importantly, further away from trouble at the bottom.
There are plenty of goals usually at Ayr games – seven of their last eight league matches have featured over 2.5 goals so go for William Hill's 13/10 for over 2.5 goals and both teams to score.
This Scottish Championship match between Ayr United and Airdrie will be played on Mar 29, 2024 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Ayr United vs Airdrie prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
