Arbroath secured their place in the last-16 of the KDM Evolution Trophy with a hard-fought win over Queen of the South on Tuesday night.
Gavin Reilly’s second half penalty was enough to see off the Dumfries side as the Lichties’ 1-0 victory brought a five-game losing streak to an end and provided a confidence boost ahead of the weekend’s clash with Ayr United.
With injuries continuing to hamper the squad, Colin Hamilton and David Gold made just two changes to the side that lost to Raith Rovers, with Andy Winter and Craig Watson taking the place of Gavin Reilly and Thomas O’Brien.
The first half had the feel of two sides lacking in confidence with chances at a premium, but it was Arbroath who looked the more dangerous.
Scott Constable and Scott Stewart linked up well down the right early on with some neat passing before picking out Winter in the area who saw his shot deflected off target, with Queens defending the resultant corner.
Another set piece on 14 minutes provided another sight of goal for the home side with the ball breaking the way of Stewart who reacted well to flick a shot towards the net, but he wasn’t able to keep his effort down.
Deniz Mehmet in the Doonhamers’ goal was called into action twice before the half was over, denying Winter’s header down to his right before making a meal of a strike from Constable that looked to be an easy catch, with the keeper somehow fumbling the ball behind for a corner.
The visitors produced more of an attacking threat after the break and forced Aidan McAdams into a save early in the half with Cole Coughlin shooting straight at the Arbroath number one.
Moments later, Dylan Reid sent the ball back towards goal after Queen of the South had cleared the original danger, with his effort deflected towards the top corner and leaving Deniz scrambling, before they went back down the other end with Shaun Want shooting over after being found by Benjamin Luissint.
The biggest moment of the game came in the 67th minute though when the Lichties were awarded a dubious penalty.
Ruari Ellis appeared to cleanly turn the ball behind for a corner before Winter went to ground as those two and Deniz came together in the area but was left feeling aggrieved when referee Lewis Hogarth awarded a spot-kick with the visitors’ protests proving futile and leaving Want with a yellow card to his name.
Despite the delay as the incensed Queens’ players continued to dispute the award, Reilly stayed composed and was eventually able to stroke the penalty beyond the reach of Deniz to give Arbroath the lead.
Reilly’s introduction had clearly been a positive one, and the former Queen of the South man almost added a second when he flashed a volley wide of target soon after.
The Palmerston side pressed for an equaliser to force the tie to penalties and almost had one at the death as Nicky Clark headed goalwards, but McAdams was across his goal quickly to keep the ball out and send the Lichties into the next round.
Arbroath: McAdams; Constable, Dewar, Watson, Paterson; Reid, Flynn (Reilly, 62’); Stewart, MacIntyre, Dow (Magennis, 78’); Winter
Queen of the South: Deniz; Goldie (Clark, 80’), Want, Hannah (Ellis, 46’), Charters; Luissint (Stott, 80’); Smith, Mackenzie, Hutton; Coughlin (Dair, 64’), Young
Attendance: 258
