A terrific volley from former Dundee player Jamie Reid set Arbroath up for victory over a young Dundee United select in the Forfarshire Cup at Gayfield last night.

Reid’s wonderful strike put the hosts a goal up on 38 minutes and they added to that with just four minutes remaining when substitute Kane Hester scored with his first touch of the ball.

United included an Italian trialist in their line-up and he started on the right wing, while former Arbroath man Simon Murray was back at his old workplace but wearing tangerine this time.

Jordan Moore got things going for the Tangerines after just a couple of minutes but his shot was blocked by Graham Hay.

Keiran Stewart hit back for the home team on five minutes with a shot from 25 yards that went close, then United goalie Luis Zwick did well to leap to his left to save a Bobby Linn strike.

The visitors, who had coaches Stevie Campbell and Dave Bowman in the dugout, passed up a golden chance on 15 minutes.

The ball was played out of defence by Moore and reached the trialist. He slid the ball forward to Murray, who fired wide when he had looked certain to score.

The young United players were enjoying most of the possession but it was Arbroath who nearly took the lead on 36 minutes when Stewart dribbled his way goalwards before his low shot was saved by Zwick.

And it was the home team that took the lead just two minutes later.

It was a cracking volley from Reid, who let fly from the edge of the box after the ball had been headed out by United defender Harry Souttar.

Right on half-time, Justin Johnson went on a run from a deep midfield position but he then pulled his shot wide from just outside the box.

United brought Brad Smith on for Moore at the start of the second period.

Just two minutes after the interval, Arbroath came close with a header from Hay after he had been picked out by a Reid cross.

United’s trialist, now operating on the left wing, fired into the sidenetting on 56 minutes.

That was close but they came even closer 10 minutes later when Jamie Robson sent Murray clear but the former Lichtie somehow clipped the ball wide when he had only keeper Allan Fleming to beat.

The visitors brought on Ola Adeyemo for Johnson on 69 minutes then, just three minutes later, the trialist stung the hands of Fleming with a shot.

Adeyemo took his turn to shoot into the sidenetting then the trialist fired over the bar as United pressed for an equaliser.

After Arbroath goalscorer Reid made his exit on 80 minutes to be replaced by Joshua Watt, United’s Euan Spark almost sneaked a shot in from out wide on the right.

However, the home team had the final say when sub Watt raced clear of the United defence and blasted home a low shot that gave Zwick no chance.

Arbroath: Fleming, Little, Johnstone (Lowdon 75), Munro, Hay, Clarke, Linn (Hester 85), Stewart, Coult, Gold, Reid (Watt 80). Subs not used: McWalter, Brodie.

Dundee United: Zwick, Spark, Robson, S. Smith, Ballantine, H. Souttar, Trialist, Lochhead, Moore (B. Smith 46), Murray, Johnson (Adeyemo 69). Subs not used: Horne, Tumilty, Booth.

Referee: Willie Ferguson.