Arbroath booked their spot in the quarter finals of the KDM Evolution Trophy, with a comfortable victory over League One side East Fife
Findlay Marshall’s double either side of half time was added to in stoppage time by a Connor McManus own goal to secure a 3-0 win, as the Lichties knocked their opponents out of a second different tournament this campaign.
After the exertions of Saturday’s win at Raith Rovers and with a trip to Airdrie in the Scottish Cup at the weekend, it was no surprise to see Colin Hamilton and David Gold freshen up the starting lineup.
No fewer than six changes were made from the trip to Kirkcaldy, with Jordan Pettigrew, Craig Watson, Nikolay Todorov, Thomas Beadling, Victor Enem and Scott Robinson all coming into the side.
It was the visitors who carved out the first opportunity of the match just four minutes in when Lewis Latona did well to cut into the box before seeing his goal bound effort blocked by the diving block of Craig Watson.
Nikolay Todorov flashed a header off target from a decent Enem cross with Arbroath’s first foray forward, but it took until the half hour mark for the Lichties to register their first shot on target.
That shot would provide the opening goal however, with Marshall picking the ball up in midfield before striding forward unchallenged to fire a low shot through Robbie Hemfrey from the edge of the area.
Todorov had a great chance for a quickfire second when he managed to outmuscle Mamadou Bah and work some space for the shot, but Hemfrey redeemed himself with a strong stop to deny the Bulgarian.
The big forward was involved again just five minutes into the second half as he played in Stewart down the right, allowing the winger to square the ball for Marshall to turn home the Lichties’ second.
Goalmouth action was few and far between throughout the remainder of the game, with neither side really troubling the opposition goalkeepers as Arbroath kept control of the match.
A third goal did come with one of the last kicks of the game though, as the hosts wrapped up the win. Ryan Dow went chasing a cross from the right but it was Jack Wilkie who came in to meet the ball, with the full-back’s low shot turned into his own net by the unfortunate McManus.
Arbroath: Pettigrew; Enem (Callachan, 78), Watson, O’Brien, Wilkie; Beadling (MacIntyre, 61), Marshall; Stewart, Robinson, Mebude (Dow, 61); Todorov (Reilly, 72)
East Fife: Hemfrey; Millar, Bah (Halsey, 69), McManus, Munro, Peggie; Latona (Slattery, 78), Culbert, McKenna, Rowe; Goss (Nicol, 72)
Attendance: 750
