Rhys McCabe says his players need to look to Manchester City star Erling Haaland when it comes to taking chances after 10-man Airdrie were held to a 3-3 draw by Queen of the South.
The Diamonds may have struck three times in a six-goal thriller at New Broomfield to end a run of three straight defeats, but the player-boss felt his side didn't take enough of their chances and pointed to City's Norwegian hitman - who has scored 20 goals in 13 games already this season - as inspiration.
The sides shared four goals in the first half with Josh Todd firing Queens in front after just three minutes. Goals from Calum Gallagher - who became Airdrie's record goalscorer in the club's post-2002 era with his 44th strike for the club - and Callum Fordyce had Airdrie in front within 14 minutes before Harry Cochrane's stunning strike pulled Queens level in the 42nd minute.
Callum Smith's strike fired Airdrie back in front in 61 minutes but just moments later Gavin Reilly's header earned Queens a point before Cammy Ballantyne saw red late on.
However, McCabe felt his side should still have done more.
He said: "This is maybe me being a bit picky, but in terms of chances created I think it could have been a lot better.
"I like high standards and you see it at the top level.
"You look at Haaland, for example, and how ruthless he is. He gets half a chance or he gets a chance and he scores.
"And that is the difference to the level we are at in League One to boys going further up the divisions."
He added: "I think in terms of the first half and up until the red card late on, the chances they [Queens] created were limited.
"We gifted them the goals.
"I've said to the boys in there, the harsh reality is that in the Montrose game and today, in terms of teams cutting us open or a good bit of play, we've probably gifted all seven goals.
"We could have stopped all seven goals with the basics of football.
"It is criminal in terms of how they score [their third goal].
"There's a laboured run to try and stop the cross, we get a flick on it and that takes it past a couple of our players and they finish it off.
"When you score a goal, that is when you are at your most vulnerable, so it is important that the older lads, especially, take a bit of responsibility.
"Overall, a point is something we can build on but there's room for improvement."
The draw did halt a run of three straight defeats for McCabe's men, who remain fifth in League One and six points behind leaders Edinburgh City.
McCabe added: ""It becomes a habit, both winning and losing.
"You almost get into that momentum of winning games, even when you are not playing particularly well and the same thing applies if you are not getting results.
"It's easily done in football. I've been there myself when one result leads to another and then another. You feel like you can't get out of it and you are in quicksand.
"So in terms of stopping the rut, a point is good and we will take positives from it to try and improve for the next game."
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