Arbroath extended their unbeaten run to five games, but once again had to settle for just one point after a goalless draw with Airdrieonians at The Albert Bartlett Stadium.
The Lichties did have the better of the chances in what was a tight contest but just could not find a way past the bottom side in their third 0-0 scoreline in the last four games.
Colin Hamilton and David Gold made two changes from the side that started last weekend’s clash with Ross County, as Ryan Dow and Scott Robinson replaced Jacob MacIntyre and Gavin Reilly.
It took just over quarter of an hour for the first real attempts on goal and they went the way of Arbroath. A brilliant bit of play down the left from Dow resulted in his cross finding Findlay Marshall, but the Aberdeen loanee saw his goal bound shot deflected behind for a corner kick.
The resultant set piece was cleared, but only as far as Harry Cochrane who returned the ball to Aaron Muirhead who took a touch before firing goalwards, failing to really trouble Harry Stone.
Airdrie thought they should have had a penalty moments later when they claimed the ball had struck the arm of Jack Wilkie, but their appeals were waved away before Charlie McArthur was shown a yellow card for halting Marshall’s attack.
Dow had the final chance of a half that the Lichties had the better of when he reacted to a loose ball, however, Stone was quick off his line to thwart the winger’s attempt and keep the scores level at the break.
Marshall again went close less than ten minutes into the second period with a low shot that made Stone work, but the Diamonds’ keeper was able to get down quickly to hold the shot.
There wasn’t much more to report in the next half an hour as both sides began to cancel each other out and felt the rhythm of the game disrupted by substitutions, but equally, both will feel they could have won the game with late chances.
Owen Stirton, on loan at the hosts from Dundee United, picked the ball up on the edge of the area before turning towards goal and taking aim with a shot that failed to properly trouble Aidan McAdams.
Arbroath had an even better chance to win the game when Reilly did well to win back possession in the area, but with Ryan Flynn waiting for an obvious tap-in, the forward went for goal himself and was stopped by a strong block from Stone, before cutting the ball back to Flynn at the second attempt only for the midfielder to divert the ball wide under defensive pressure.
Reilly met a cross from the right deep into stoppage time too but wasn’t able to generate enough power to trouble the keeper, leaving both sides feeling a case of what if, as the points were shared.
Airdrieonians: Stone; Constable, McGinty, McArthur, Devine; Telfer (Gallagher, 75’); Hastie (McGrattan, 75’), Thomas (Stirton, 65’), Barjonas (McKinnon, 65’); Mochrie (Mahon, 76’), Henderson
Arbroath: McAdams; Watson, Muirhead, O’Brien, Wilkie; Cochrane (Beadling, 74’), Flynn; Stewart (MacIntyre, 74’), Marshall, Dow; Robinson (Reilly, 63’)
Attendance: 1,280
