Airdrie striker expects a battle in League One crunch clash as title race heats up

Calum Gallagher says Airdrie must win the battle if they're to take points from Peterhead on Saturday.

The 27-year-old says Airdrie will need to be on top form to take the win from Jim McInally's side and maintain their title charge, but is confident of doing so.

And the former Rangers and St Mirren forward says he wants to hit the goals trail more often, having netted his ninth goal of the season in last Saturday's 4-1 win over Montrose at New Broomfield.

The Diamonds head north to the Balmoor Stadium to play ninth-placed Peterhead, while leaders Cove host Falkirk, with Airdrie realistically needing three points to keep their hopes alive.

He said: "We'll need to approach it in the same manner. Peterhead is a really difficult place to go with the surface and the conditions, but there are a lot of really good footballers there.

"We'll need to win the battle if we can, play our best football, and hopefully the result comes."

Gallagher netted a spectacular double in that win over Montrose, and reckons he was done out of a hat-trick with a disallowed goal that looked to have been at least level.

He said: "I was hoping, if something dropped, that I might get a wee sniff at a hat-trick.

"I'm hearing from the side-lines that I had a disallowed one midway through the first half that may have been onside, but I'll need to watch that back.

"I don't know if that's wishful thinking from a couple of guys, but it's something that I've been trying to improve on, being a bit more clinical when the chances come, and trying to get my numbers up, so I need to push on.

"That's me on nine now, so I need to push on to double figures and get into the teens as quickly as possible and really help drive the team.

"As a team and personally I'm