Callum Smith bagged his second goal in as many games to rescue a point for Airdrie at freezing cold Falkirk this afternoon.
On-loan Rangers winger Kai Kennedy gave Falkirk the lead in 26 minutes slightly against the run of play, but they nearly doubled their lead shortly after that as Rumarn Burrell bulleted a header narrowly wide.
However, Calum Gallagher and Callum Smith put shots just past the right post at either end of the first half and Charlie Telfer nearly forced an own-goal early in the second period, as defender Coll Donaldson headed his cross over his own bar.
But sub Gabby McGill and Gallagher combined to set up Smith for a deserved Airdrie equaliser, and another strike for him following last week's 6-2 cup defeat at Dundee.
Falkirk boss John McGlynn made four changes from the side that hammered Wick Academy 6-0 in the Scottish Cup last weekend, with Sean Mackie, Gary Oliver, Aidan Nesbitt and Callum Morrison in for Liam Henderson, Ola Lawal, Steve Hetherington and Craig McGuffie.
His Airdrie counterpart Rhys McCabe made two from the side that eventually lost 6-2 to Dundee in the same competition. Aaron Taylor-Sinclair and Lewis Jamieson replaced Justin Devenny and captain Callum Fordyce, with Calum Gallagher taking the armband.
Falkirk had a hopeful penalty claim turned down in four minutes when Rumarn Burrell went down under a challenge by Airdrie keeper Dean Lyness, but referee Mike Roncone wasn't interested.
Airdrie broke up the other end and Calum Gallagher's angled shot was brilliantly palmed past the right post by Nicky Hogarth.
Falkirk threatened again in 19 minutes when Coll Donaldson's 19-yard free-kick from just outside the left corner of the box was parried by Lyness and cleared.
But the Bairns took the lead in 26 minutes when Donaldson's cross from the right picked out Kennedy, and he turned a defender before curling an unstoppable shot into the top right corner.
The host went close to doubling that lead in 34 minutes when Callum Morrison crossed for Burrell, but his header could only find the right side-netting.
Airdrie came within a whisker of levelling in 40 minutes when Callum Smith cut in from the left and sent a low shot just past the right post corner.
Kennedy's corner on the left presented a chance for Aidan Nesbitt in 48 minutes, but he was high and wide with his effort.
Falkirk passed up an incredible chance to double their lead in 52 minutes when Kennedy squared the ball to Gary Oliver, but he blasted his shot off the outside of the right post with just Lyness to beat.
Airdrie instead went close to levelling in 59 minutes when Charlie Telfer's cross was headed over his own by by Donaldson.
But the Diamonds levelled in 78 minutes when McGill and Gallagher combined on the right to set up Smith, who swung a shot into the bottom left corner.
Keeper Lyness was a hero late in the game as he rushed off his line to save at the feet of Falkirk sub Juan Alegria.
But McGill nearly won it for Airdrie at the death, his shot deflected past for a corner.
FALKIRK: Hogarth, McKay, Donaldson, McCann, Mackie, McGinn, Oliver (Yeats, 62), Nesbitt (McGuffie, 73), Morrison (Lawal, 73), Burrell (Alegria, 62), Kennedy.
Subs (not used): Martin (GK), Williamson, Hetherington.
Booked: Oliver (22), Mackie (62), McKay (76), Donaldson (90+4)
AIRDRIE: Lyness, Ballantyne, Watson, Taylor-Sinclair, Deveney, McCabe, Telfer, McMaster (Frizzell, 73), Jamieson (McGill, 68), Smith, Gallagher (Devenny, 89).
Subs (not used): Henderson (GK), Gunn, Fellows, Watt, Kavanagh, Spalding.
Referee: Mike Roncone.
Attendance: 3874.
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