Airdrie player-boss Rhys McCabe missed out on their Lanarkshire derby thrashing of Clyde with a migraine - but admits his players have given him a welcome headache for next week with their sparkling display.
The midfielder put himself on the bench for the 5-0 win over Clyde but was only going to feature as a last resort after being struck down by a migraine in the build-up to the League One clash.
But he will be feeling a lot better tonight after watching his side bounce back from a 6-0 reverse to FC Edinburgh in their last outing to produce a five-star display.
Callum Smith was at the double, while Lewis Jamieson, Gabby McGill and substitute Salim Kouider-Aissa were also on target.
And the performance will leave McCabe pondering if he can justify putting himself back into the starting 11 for Friday's SPFL Trust Trophy trip to Alloa.
He laughed: "That's obviously another headache that's going to come my way.
"But it's a chance next week as well for lads who haven't been playing regular 90 minutes to go in and give me something to have a headache about for the next league game, give me food for thought going forward.
"It was pleasing to come away with a few goals, but the biggest thing was getting a reaction to the FC Edinburgh game.
"We knew we were going to be under pressure today as the home side trying to rectify that result and I think, second half especially, putting on a really clinical performance was credit to the lads.
"All the players know they need to keep their standard high because there will be others on their tail.
"That's a healthy thing as manager. If players are doing well all over the pitch that's a headache you'd rather have than players not performing."
Airdrie moved up to second spot in League One and their scoring spree has all but alleviated last week's harmful blow to the goal difference column.
Although they are a point adrift of leaders Dunfermline at this early stage, their goal difference is tied on seven after seven games of the campaign.
But League One manager of the month McCabe said: "As much as the scoreline is great, it's irrelevant for me.
"I said to the lads before the game and at half-time that we let ourselves down in the Edinburgh game.
"You could see in the first half there was a little bit of nerves and nervous energy around the pitch, but once we got rid of that you started to see how we could play.
"It was about the performance first and foremost and we knew if we got that, the result would take care of itself."
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