Airdrie boss: Disrespectful to suggest there's a gap between us and Falkirk or Ayr

Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe has dismissed the notion that there is a gulf between his side and Championship frontrunners Falkirk and Ayr United.

The Diamonds have been blown away by the top two so far this season. They suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of leaders Falkirk yesterday in a game McCabe accused his players of 'panicking' in, and the Bairns passed up a whole host of chances that could have made it a much more handsome result for the visitors.

Airdrie, who reached the play-offs last season, were also humbled 5-0 by currently unbeaten Ayr at Somerset Park last month.

There has been 15 new signings at New Broomfield this summer, Ayr, too, have made a numerous new additions under boss Scott Brown, while Falkirk have stuck with much of the same squad that won them promotion from League One in an invincible season, bringing in a handful of fresh faces.

And asked if given his side's performances against the league's top-two that he felt there might be a gap there, McCabe said: "We are five games into a season. Flip it round to when we finished above Ayr and Falkirk last season, would you say the same about that?

"Over 30-odd games I could understand that and I'd say yes or no if there was a difference in class.

"We are five games into a season, we have 15 new players in the squad and it takes a bit of time to gel, so to suggest there's an element that they [Ayr and Falkirk] are better than us is a bit disrespectful.

"They have started really well. Falkirk are the frontrunners. They have had a good season from winning League One last season and we did the same last season when we got up. They are riding that confidence wave and good luck to them."

The loss to Falkirk was Airdrie's third in five Championship games