Cove Rangers 1 – 1 Arbroath
The Lichties travelled up the East Coast for their huge match against Cove Rangers with a large travelling support of 500+ to cheer them on.
Dick Campbell handed debuts to Lewis Banks at right back, with Steven Hetherington also making his full debut in left midfield as the Lichties lined up with a 4-1-3-2 formation with Banks, Little, O’Brien and Hamilton starting in front of Gaston with Gold playing in front of the back 4, with a midfield of Stewart, McKenna and Hetherington with Hilson playing just beind Adarkwa.
Former Lichties Virtanen and McIntosh were in the Cove squad with Virtanen starting in midfield.
Arbroath attacked the West Stand, with Cove attacking towards the large and vocal Arbroath support.
Dale Hilson had the first half chance of the game in the 4th minute when he latched onto a ball over the top but his volleyed angle shot was wide of the goal.
Colin Hamilton picked up a yellow card in the 9th minute for a foul on Shay Logan, before Hetherington also found himself booked just 4 minutes later, again for a foul on Logan.
With the game definitely suffering from nerves, it was Connor Scully who had Cove’s first real chance but his shot flew wide after the free kick from Hetherington’s foul on Logan.
Arbroath tried to rally with a Thomas O’Brien header from a Michael McKenna corner kick being saved in the 17th minute, before a long distance strike from McKenna in the 23rd minute sailed high over the temporary stand.
Former Ross County man Iain Vigurs had the first Cove shot on target in the 25th minute but it was a comfortable save for Derek Gaston.
Arbroath won their second corner in the 27th minute when a Hetherington shot was blocked but nothing came of it.
Scott Stewart was enjoying getting down the right wing, whilst Hilson’s work rate as always was immense.
Sean Adarkwa took a really nasty tumble right under the main stand with the tall striker landing heavily on his head and back on the concrete surface and looked in pain as he continued to win the ball up front.
In the 33rd minute there was action at both ends as Gime Touré shot wide for Cove before the Lichties broke and Adarkwa just missed connecting to a Hilson cut back.
There were no more real chances as the first half ended goalless.
Cove Rangers 0 – 0 Arbroath – Half Time Stats
Possession – Cove Rangers 52% – 48% Arbroath
Total Shots -Cove Rangers 4 – 4 Arbroath
On Target – Cove Rangers 1 – 1 Arbroath
Off Target – Cove Rangers 2 – 2 Arbroath
Blocked – Cove Rangers 1 – 1 Arbroath
Corners – Cove Rangers 1 – 2 Arbroath
Saves – Cove Rangers 1 – 1 Arbroath
Fouls Committed – Cove Rangers 9 – 8 Arbroath
Fouls Won – Cove Rangers 8 – 9 Arbroath
Arbroath made 3 changes at the break and a change of formation followed.
João Baldé replaced Hetherington who was on a yellow card, whilst Bobby Linn came on for Adarkwa who did seem to suffer from the hard impact he made on the concrete whilst Yasin Ben El-Mhanni replaced Scott Stewart as Arbroath played with two wingers, with Hilson up front and McKenna just in behind.
Hilson and McKenna continued to chase down every ball with a Michael McKenna shot being deflected into the arms of Scott Fox in the 55th minute.
Miko Virtanen had a shot on target in the 57th minute after a Touré pass but again Gaston was there for the save.
In the 59th minute Dale Hilson made way for Toyosi Olusanya and Arbroath started to push for the goal.
Bobby Linn almost produced another wonder goal in the 62nd minute as he ran in from the wing before curling a beautiful shot which beat Fox but agonisingly crashed off the crossbar, before just 2 minutes later a really lovely passing move seen the ball fall to David Gold who had run into the box but Gold couldn’t get full contact, with the long serving Arbroath midfielder claiming he was fouled, with photo evidence proving he had a point.
It was Cove’s turn to press with a Neill header from a corner high in the 64th minute with Scully having a shot blocked 3 minutes later.
Cove made a triple change in the 69th minute with former Lichtie Leighton McIntosh coming on along with Luis Longstaff and Cieran Dunne for Mike Virtanen, Touré and Bangala, with Ryan Dow replacing David Gold just 2 minutes later for Arbroath’s 5th and final change.
Colin Hamilton had his header saved in the 72nd minute from a corner, with Ricky Little becoming the 3rd Arbroath player booked in the 73rd minute.
From the free kick Vigurs came close but Cove scored just a minute later, with the impressive Luis Longstaff finding McIntosh who managed to beat Gaston in the 75th minute.
Arbroath had to keep their heads, and try and push for a goal and it was Olusanya who looked the most threatening as he ran towards goal in the 80th minute before unleashing a shot but Fox was there to make the save, however Arbroath didn’t let their heads go down and equalised in the 89th minute.
A corner kick came in and it was headed back across goal by Ricky Little and it was Olusanya who was quickest to react out jumping the Cove defender to head in to draw Arbroath level.
With just minutes remaining El-Mhanni had a chance at the death, but again Fox was there to make the save.
In the dying seconds Dow became the 4th Arbroath player to be booked.
Cove Rangers 1 – 1 Arbroath – Full Time Stats
Possession – Cove Rangers 51% – 49% Arbroath
Total Shots -Cove Rangers 11 – 12 Arbroath
On Target – Cove Rangers 3 – 6 Arbroath
Off Target – Cove Rangers 5 – 4 Arbroath
Blocked – Cove Rangers 3 – 2 Arbroath
Corners – Cove Rangers 4 – 4 Arbroath
Saves – Cove Rangers 5 – 2 Arbroath
Fouls Committed – Cove Rangers 14 – 13 Arbroath
Fouls Won – Cove Rangers 13 – 14 Arbroath
A point, which could be vital come the end, with Hamilton winning the bottom has become even tighter as it looks like Arbroath, Cove Rangers and Hamilton Accies will be battling each other result by result until the end.
C’mon the Lichties
Cove Rangers
12 – Scott Fox
2 – Shay Logan
3 – Jason Naismith
4 – Connor Scully
6 – Morgyn Neill
9 – Mitch Megginson © (Ross 84)
14 – Miko Virtanen (McIntosh 69)
16 – Iain Vigurs
19 – David Bangala (Dunne 69)
26 – Mark Reynolds
27 – Gime Touré (Longstaff 69)
Cove Rangers Substitutes
5 – Seb Ross – 9; 84th
11 – Leighton McIntosh – 14; 69th
15 – Kyle McClelland
17 – Luis Longstaff – 27; 69th
18 – Tony Weston
22 – Cieran Dunne – 19; 69th
25 – Declan Glass
23 – Kyle Gourlay (GK)
Goal – McIntosh 75
Arbroath
1 – Derek Gaston
2 – Lewis Banks
3 – Colin Hamilton
4 – Ricky Little
5 – Thomas O’Brien (c)
7 – David Gold (Dow 71)
8 – Michael McKenna
12 – Scott Stewart (El-Mhanni 45)
26 – Steven Hetherington (Baldé 45)
24 – Sean Adarkwa (Linn 45)
9 – Dale Hilson (Olusanya 59)
Arbroath Substitutes
11 – Bobby Linn – 24; 45th
14 – Paul Komolafe
15 – Dylan Tait
17 – Toyosi Olusanya – 9; 59th
18 – Yasin Ben El-Mhanni – 12; 45th
19 – Ryan Dow – 7; 71st
20 – Scott Bitsindou
25 – João Baldé – 26; 45th
21 – Cammy Gill (GK)
Goal – Olusanya 89
Yellow Cards – Hamilton 9, Hetherington 13, Little 73, Dow 90+2
Attendance – 1529
Officials;
Referee: Alan Muir
Assistant Referee 1: Graham McNeillie
Assistant Referee 2: Colin McAlpine
