Airdrie hero says his side kept their heads to grab important win over Inverness

Calum Gallagher says Airdrie did well to keep their heads while Inverness were breathing down their necks, as the 10 men held on for a 2-1 Championship win.

Gabby McGill forced defender Cameron Harper to score an own-goal opener after just 33 seconds, following good play by Lewis McGregor, and Gallagher pounced on dithering Danny Devine to smash in the second in 32 minutes.

That seemingly had Airdrie home and dry by the interval, but captain Adam Frizzell received a second yellow and his marching orders five minutes into the second half, and Nathan Shaw pulled a goal back for Inverness with 20 minutes left, providing a nervy finish.

But Airdrie held on to go fourth in the Championship, a point behind joint-second Dundee United and Raith Rovers, while Inverness are three adrift at the bottom, with three league defeats on the bounce.

Gallagher said: “It’s a really good three points – we weren’t at our best today, we know that, and we spoke about it inside.

“Inverness made it very difficult for us, set up man for man, and we like to play a style that plays through the thirds and allows our ball players to play.

“But when you’re constantly getting someone breathing down your neck, it makes it really difficult to play with your head up, so they made it really difficult in that sense.

“It forced us to play their style, which is semi-unusual, but it’s nice to know that when we have to, we can dig in and be competitive and play a more physical and aggressive style.

“I think that’s testament to the boys we’ve got at the back, who are relentless and defended excellently, so I think a lot of credit lies at their feet.”

Gallagher took his tally for the season to four, and was grateful to see it hit the net after taking what he says