Arbroath got back to winning ways today at Gayfield with a 2-1 win over play-off chasing East Fife.
It was another weekend of horrendous weather with many games falling victim to the weather but the Gayfield pitch held up and coped well with the heavy mixture of rain and sleet.
Arbroath attacked the Harbour end in the first half playing against the wind and survived some early East Fife pressure as the visitors won 3 successive corner kicks.
Former Lichtie Craig Watson was replaced in the 25th minute by Broque Watson after picking up what looked like a serious knee injury after a foul on Bobby Linn.
Micheal McKenna returned to the side after he served a one-match suspension and he opened the scoring in the 27th minute when he flicked a glancing header into the far corner from a Bobby Linn cross, however just 60 seconds later and East Fife were level after Anton Dowds fired in from close range as East Fife hit back straight away.
David Gold almost gave the Lichties the lead but his shot was just wide in the 34th minute.
Arbroath made the perfect start to the second half when Bobby Linn latched onto a Jason Thomson cross and fired a low shot past Brett Long to give Arbroath the lead in the 50th minute.
Arbroath pushed for another goal with Jason Thomson and Michael McKenna playing starring roles as Arbroath started to dominate.
In the final 10 minutes East Fife rallied and substitute Kevin Smith fired wide in the 87th minute.
Another good win for the Lichties with a 13 point gap now at the top of League One with only 21 points left to play for.
C’mon the Lichties
Arbroath
1 – Darren Jamieson
2 – Jason Thomson
3 – Colin Hamilton
4 – Ricky Little
5 – Thomas O’Brien
6 – Mark Whatley (c)
7 – David Gold (Kader 67)
8 – Michael McKenna
9 – Luke Donnelly (Spence 70)
10 – Gavin Swankie (Wallace 80)
11 – Bobby Linn
Substitutes
12 – Greig Spence – 9; 70th
14 – Omar Kader – 7; 67th
15 – Ryan McCord
16 – Steven Doris
17 – Ryan Wallace – 10; 80th
18 – Danny Denholm
21 – Darren Hill (GK)
Goals – McKenna 27, Linn 50
East Fife
1 – Brett Long
6 – Craig Watson (c) (B. Watson 25)
5 – Ross Dunlop
12 – Chris Higgins
8 – Pat Slattery
2 – Aaron Dunsmore
16 – Ross Davidson
11 – Scott Agnew (Bell 80)
14 – Liam Watt
15 – Anton Dowds
9 – Jonathan Court (K. Smith 72)
Substitutes
4 – Chris Kane
3 – Mark Docherty
7 – Broque Watson – 6; 25th
10 – Kevin Smith – 9; 72nd
18 – Scott Linton
20 – Kyle Bell – 11; 80th
21 – Daniel Terry (GK)
Goal – Dowds 28
Yellow Cards – Dunsmore 69, Davidson 85, Bell 89
Attendance – 729
Referee – Gavin Duncan
Assistant Referee 1 – John McCrossan
Assistant Referee 2 – Paul Timmons
