Airdrie will stick to key principles, no matter the opposition, says boss Rhys McCabe

Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe insists he won't change their playing style just because they have gone up a level to the Championship.

The Diamonds' silky football and possession-based game were key components of their successful promotion from League One through the play-offs last term.

But they were brought back down to earth by Dunfermline in Saturday's Championship opener at East End Park, as 10-man Pars battled back from a goal down to run out 2-1 victors and inflict defeat on the Diamonds.

An arguably tougher test awaits this weekend when Partick Thistle - who just missed out on promotion to the Premiership last season on penalties to Ross County - come calling for the club's first game at New Broomfield in the second tier.

McCabe says he won't change his style to combat other teams and will continue to focus on the type of football that suits his players.

He said: "I'm a firm believer that I want my players to get on the ball.

"I think our style of play, even with myself, is that I want to control the game, get as many touches as possible, so I'm not going to deviate from that for something that doesn't suit me or my players.

"If I was to go into great detail and explain why I play that style, you would agree with me.

"I've got Adam Frizzell at 5ft 5in, Charlie Telfer at 5ft 7in, myself at 5ft 9in - why would I play a direct style of football that doesn't suit these guys or my players' strengths.

"We try to play a brand of football that suits the squad. I could go into great detail about stats and numbers, but with the law of averages and percentages, if you play direct football, you only win a certain amount of games, especially when you are playing against defenders who will win the ball nine times out of 10.

"It is