This basement battle was always a sideshow to the main event as Airdrie fight for their future and somehow Archibald's players reflected this - each one appearing to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Whether Archibald could find the heart to lambast them in the Recreation Park dressing room afterwards is unlikely. Certainly the travelling support seemed satisfied that a game had gone ahead at all.

For the Airdrie caretaker, the real fireworks will be set off later on Monday at a meeting at the North Lanarkshire Council Offices as he gets round the table with the club's biggest creditor, Bill Barr, spokesman for interim liquidators KPMG, Blair Nimmo, and local businessman, Willie Patterson.

Archibald sees it as perhaps a last opportunity to rescue the ailing club he has been trying to complete a buy- out of since February.

However, he feels that not only does he have to contend with the financial spaghetti which Airdrie's administration has become but also his own conspirator in the shape of Nimmo, whom he has long suspected of being less than forthright when it comes to discussing these matters.

'I don't know if Nimmo is talking to other parties, but all the stuff he said about finances and me not complying with this, that and the next thing is a smokescreen for something else which is going on,' said Archibald.

'As I've said before, if my commitment to Airdrie wasn't there and my financial restructuring hadn't been allowed, the club would not be here.

'The only issue that's holding things up as far as I'm concerned is the development of the land in front of the stadium, and we need to come to an agreement with the council about this. Hopefully after the meeting, things will be much clearer.'

Since Archibald's wholesale recruitment of journeymen from the lower reaches of the Spanish leagues, Airdrie have struggled on the park as well. This was yet another abject and heartless performance and the hosts were well worthy of their victory, thanks to goals in either half from Willie Irvine and Ross Hamilton.

This allowed Terry Christie's well-organised side to send the visitors back down to the position they have occupied for much of the season at the bottom of the division.

In the long run, the result will not matter to Archibald or to Airdrie. It is now all about securing the future.

He added: 'The meeting is of massive importance to the club now. If all the parties are really interested in the long-term future of Airdrie, there is no reason why we cannot come out of it with an agree-ment and my take-over can go ahead.'