Queen's Park 1 Airdrie 2: Diamonds boss hails striker as he recovers from sitter to net last-gasp winner

Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe hailed substitute Nikolay Todorov for bouncing back from missing a sitter to net a last-gasp winner against Queen’s Park that ensured the Diamonds ended 2023 on a high.

McCabe’s men came from behind at Hampden to end a run of four games without a win, as Mason Hancock’s 66th minute strike and a Todorov effort three minutes into stoppage time cancelled out Dom Thomas’ 34th minute penalty for the Spiders.

Todorov had replaced Calum Gallagher at the break and spurned a huge chance in the 65th minute when he rounded Queens goalkeeper Callum Ferrie, and contrived to hit the post with the goal at his mercy.

However, the Bulgarian didn’t let his head go down and he popped up with a huge goal at the death, stroking the ball past Ferrie to claim all three points.

McCabe said: “I don’t know how Toddy didn’t score after he rounded the keeper, but my message to everyone was to get behind him and keep him positive.

“That mentality gets him another opportunity and he stuck it away, which is great for him.

“He could have had a couple more but in the end he scored the most important one.

“Nikolay did exactly what I would expect from any sub. They are impact players and I always make it clear it’s a squad game.

“Certain individuals will suit certain moments in the game and I felt we needed the ball to stick a lot more up the top end of the pitch.

“We were off it in the first half. We never got to grips with it and it put us on the back foot.

“We regrouped at half-time and had a wee bit of a shift change in formation to get another player closer to their centre-backs.

“We were much better in the second half. We knocked it about well, switched the play and had that different energy and enthusiasm if we did go