Preview: Airdrieonians vs St Mirren - prediction, team news, lineups

Championship meets Premiership in a classic Scottish Cup subplot on Friday evening, as ambitious Airdrieonians welcome top-flight St Mirren to the Excelsior Stadium with a coveted quarter-final berth at stake.

Separated by a dozen rungs on Scotland’s footballing ladder yet united by knockout ambition, both sides arrive with recent cup pedigree and enough momentum to suggest this clash could be far less straightforward than league status alone might imply.

Match preview

Airdrie head into this encounter buoyed by their Scottish Challenge Cup exploits, having edged past Arbroath in a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out on Monday, though Aaron Taylor-Sinclair’s side have found league consistency harder to come by, winning just once in their last five Championship outings despite generally competitive displays.

The Diamonds showed their ruthless side earlier in the competition when dismantling Hamilton 4-0 in the third round.

They then went on to demonstrate their bottle from 12 yards in successive cup ties, suggesting that composure under pressure could again prove one of their greatest weapons against higher-tier opposition.

While their league form has occasionally stuttered, Airdrie have proven particularly lively in knockout football, often adopting a fearless attacking approach that allows them to play with the shackles off, though defensive concentration will need to sharpen against Premiership quality.

St Mirren, meanwhile, arrive as favourites but certainly not complacent, with Stephen Robinson’s men enjoying a productive spell that has seen them go unbeaten in three matches, including a dramatic victory over Premiership leaders Hearts courtesy of Miguel Freckleton’s late heroics.

The Saints’ campaign has already delivered silverware in the form of the Scottish League Cup, fuelling hopes of a memorable double-cup season, though their struggles in front of goal remain a lingering concern, having scored fewer league goals than any other top-flight side this term.

Their route to the fifth round also required resilience and nerve, with David Gogic’s stoppage-time equaliser rescuing them against Livingston before they prevailed in the resulting penalty shoot-out, highlighting their capacity to dig deep when the pressure intensifies.

History also leans towards the Paisley outfit, who have dominated this fixture across the years with seven wins from 11 meetings and victories in seven of the last nine encounters, but cup football has a habit of rewriting scripts, ensuring St Mirren must remain fully alert against spirited lower-league opposition.

Airdrieonians Scottish Cup form:

Airdrieonians form (all competitions):

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St Mirren Scottish Cup form:

St Mirren form (all competitions):

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Team News

The hosts are anticipated to stick with the lineup that produced their spirited victory over Arbroath last time out.

Airdrie are expected to lean heavily on left-sided talisman Euan Henderson for creativity and attacking thrust, with the forward already registering nine league goals alongside three strikes in the Scottish Cup.

St Mirren, meanwhile, must contend with several absentees, as Jonah Ayunga (tendon), Keanu Baccus (hamstring) and Mark O’Hara (ankle) remain sidelined, while Jake Young is suspended.

With a demanding, yet inspiring run of fixtures and results behind them, Stephen Robinson will likely want to build on recent momentum and continue with a winning side.

Airdrieonians possible starting lineup:

Stone; Strapp, McGinty, McMaster, Gallagher; Devine, Ross, McGrattan, Telfer, Henderson; Mochrie

St Mirren possible starting lineup:

George; Sobowale, Fraser, King, Freckleton, Tanser; Gogic, Phillips; Idowu, Etete, Mandron

We say: Airdrieonians 1-2 St Mirren

Airdrie’s strong cup pedigree and home support should ensure they make this a competitive encounter, but St Mirren’s superior quality, physicality and recent top-flight experience may ultimately prove decisive, with the Saints likely to edge a tight tie and book their place in the quarter-finals.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.