Airdrie should have beat Queen's Park but a draw isn't a disaster, says star

Cammy Ballantyne says Airdrie had to be looking to beat Queen’s Park on Saturday, but a draw isn’t a disaster.

Defender Ballantyne says the Diamonds are on a run or four or five games against Queen’s Park, Dunfermline, Inverness and Arbroath that could be key to their hopes of nabbing a play-off slot.

While the former Dundee United and Montrose stopper would have liked a win against Callum Davidson’s side, he says it’s still a decent result.

Mason Hancock climbed off the bench in 61 minutes to draw Airdrie level two minutes later, going on a mazy run before firing an unstoppable shot past Calum Ferrie, to cancel out Dom Thomas’ 13th-minute opener.

And Ballantyne said: “I think when you’re at home, especially against teams around you, you think it’s probably two points dropped, especially the way the game panned out.

“The goal that we conceded in the first half is down to us.

“They played some all right stuff here and there, but on the whole I feel we were the better team.

“Obviously it’s good to get back in it when you’re 1-0 down, but I think it does feel like two points dropped.”

Ballantyne, 26, from East Kilbride, added: “That was the first of maybe four or five games in a row that are against teams around you.

“You get a point here, it’s not a disaster, we go to Dunfermline away on Tuesday and need to try and get another result there, so the games don’t get any easier.

“A play-off is realistic. We’re not getting carried away, though.

“You can go on the back of two or three defeats and you’re looking down the way, but put two wins together and you’re looking up.

“The league is mad, it is genuinely a case of taking it each game as it comes.

“If you can pull a few victories here and there, though, you’re