Airdrie super sub Jordan Allan fired home a late strike to sink Dumbarton just moments after climbing off the bench - and refused to concede defeat in the League One title race.
League leaders Cove Rangers were just two minutes away from being crowned champions yesterday with 10-man Airdrie locked level at 2-2 with Sons.
But Allan - an 82nd minute substitute for Scott Walker - netted the winner to extend Airdrie's unbeaten run to 18 games and stay within five points of Cove at the summit.
There's just two games to go and a win for Cove at home to Dumbarton next week would see them take the trophy.
Airdrie need a miracle to turn things around, however Allan refuses to throw in the towel after his late show, which even earned him the man of the match award.
The 23-year-old said: "Listen, anything can happen. Football is mad.
"It's still alive.
"We just keep going. Go for three points next week and see. If we go to the play-offs then we will be ready.
"It's obviously tough going down to 10 men when you are always chasing things, but the boys stuck at it and I got the chance to put the ball away at the end, and I've taken it.
"That's all you can ask of a striker.
"I didn't get many touches but I've got one that's the most important one, so I'm delighted to get the goal and help the boys as well.
"I'm buzzing with it.
"I heard I only had three touches, but I wasn't counting.
"Last time I got a man of the match award it was a hat-trick with Cowdenbeath [three years ago against Edinburgh City], so I'm delighted to get this one."
Airdrie played 50 minutes with 10 men after Adam Frizzell's controversial sending off for a challenge on Stuart Carswell just before half-time.
The Diamonds led 2-1 at that point after Dylan Easton and Calum Gallgher netted for the hosts, before George Stanger pulled a goal back for Sons.
Rhys McCabe turned the ball into his own net in 70 minutes to leave Cove on the cusp of the title, but Allan stroked the ball home from close range after great work by Callum Smith.
And Allan, who joined Airdrie in the summer for a second spell at New Broomfield, hailed his team-mates for defying the odds to grab their 20th win of the season
He added: "We wouldn't be sitting second in the league if we didn't have quality, so we still believed we had the players to dig in and get the result.
"We know we can play better but we got the points. It is a great group of boys and everybody fights for each other.
"We just want to keep going, keep getting three points to build momentum so that if it has to be play-offs, then we're going well.
"It is what it is, we just need to focus on us and do what we are doing. We can't control anything else."
Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.
