The Courier:  Lichties’ home drought over

ARBROATH BANISHED their lengthy winter of discontent with a deserved 2-0 triumph over Clyde in the Gayfield battle of the bottom dogs.

Not since late August had Lichties fans savoured the sweet taste of home success, a famine which prevailed after Jim Weir’s arrival in the hot seat in October and he admitted the win was long overdue.

“It’s really difficult being where we are and I felt we’ve been a bit unfortunate over the last few weeks,” said Weir.  “We needed a victory at home for the supporters, but more importantly for the players.”

With the visitors capable of leapfrogging them, Arbroath’s appreciation of the game’s importance was evident in their determined first-half approach.  They had a chance of an early opener when slack home defending allowed Callum Booth a shot but his effort was blocked by keeper Callum Reidford.

Kenny McLean had an acrobatic overhead attempt tipped over the bar, sparking the first of two opening-period controversies when Steven Doris’s header from the resulting corner seemed to have crossed the line but was judged to have been held by the keeper.

Arbroath had Bryan Scott stretchered off after a 12th-minute clash with the keeper. He was replaced by Andy Jackson.

Ref Brian Winter was at the centre of another storm when he waved away a crowd of maroon shirts protesting over what they saw as a William McLachlan hand on a goalbound Gibson attempt in 17 minutes.

The Lichties couldn’t break the deadlock and looked like they might be punished by John McCormack’s troops, who turned things around in the second half.    But Weir’s men made the breakthrough 10 minutes from time when sub Robbie Ross powered a McLean free-kick home after rising above a crowded area. Doris scored again right on full-time.

“I thought overall we deserved the win and we were well on top after the first half,” said Weir.  But  they were probably having their best spell when we scored.   “It was a great delivery from Kenny McLean and Robbie missed three chances from much closer in a bounce game during the week—so we’d been giving him stick about putting his contacts in.”

He added, “We’ve been badly affected by injuries and we’re delighted with the result, but we’ve only won one game and we’ve got to build on that.  “We’ve lost too many goals, but it takes time to try to gel a side together.  “There’s a long way to go to get to the level where I want to take this club-starting with a big away game next week.”

Clyde boss McCormack said, “Their first goal was against the run of play, but the second gave us no chance and we’re disappointed because we felt it was a game we were capable of winning.”

Press & Journal :  Weir so relieved to stretch the gap after Lichties strike twice late in the game

ARBROATH manger Jim Weir was relieved to see his side grab two late goals to take maximum points at home for the first time since last August.  It was the Red Lichties’ first win in seven matches and the result opened a five-point gap over Clyde at the bottom of the Second Division table.The Bully Wee have now lost four in a row and haven’t scored since early December.

Weir said: “We needed a victory, especially at home. It was important for the supporters and, of course, the players. “We were on top in the first half, but Clyde came into it in the second period and   Darren Hill had to make a couple of decent saves.

“Clyde were having their best spell when we got our first goal, but overall I think it’s fair to say we deserved to win the game.

Substitute Robbie Ross headed a beautifully-flighted Kenny McLean free kick high into the net for the opener with just 12 minutes left, then Steven Doris blasted a spectacular 20-yard shot beyond Callum Reidford in the final minute to secure all three points for the Gayfield side.

Weir was full of praise for both scorers and said: “We had a bounce game against Airdrie last week and Robbie had three much easier chances to score than he had today, and he missed them all.“We had been giving him stick all week about it, but it was a great header today and a great delivery from McLean.  “And Doris produced a great finish to send the supporters, and the rest of us, home feeling happy.”

Arbroath came close to opening their account in the fourth minute when a Doris header appeared to have crossed the line, but referee Brian Winter disagreed.  The Lichties were even more aggrieved a short while later when Willie MacLachlan seemed to use a hand to block a netbound Keith Gibson shot on the line. Mr Winter again dismissed the home side’s claims.

As the game wore on Clyde came more and more into it and the home fans became increasingly restless until Ross and Doris stepped up to ease the tension with their goals to give Arbroath the full points.

From the Sunday Mail

JIM WEIR was delighted to finally enjoy some home comfort as his Arbroath side picked up three points at Gayfield for the first time since August.

A 79th-minute header from Robbie Ross and a spectacular last-minute volley from Steven Doris increased the gap on bottom side Clyde.

Delighted Arbroath boss Weir said: "We've been a bit unfortunate in recent weeks so we needed a victory at home for the supporters but more importantly for the players.  "The first goal was a great finish from Robbie. It seemed to give us a lift and Doris had an unbelievable finish to send the supporters and the rest of us home happy.  "We got the result we deserved and it's important we now try to build on it. There's still a long way to go until we reach the levels I think I can take the club."

Arbroath felt they should have had a first-half penalty when Keith Gibson's shot appeared to strike the arm of Willie McLaughlan on the line but referee Brian Winter waved play on. But the home side did take the lead when sub Ross headed powerfully home from a McLean free-kick.

And in the final minute Weir's men made sure of the three points in the most spectacular fashion when Doris smashed home a volley from outside the area that left keeper Callum Reidford with no chance.

Clyde manager John McCormack said: "We took the game to them in the second half and it was disappointing to lose the goal - it was against the run of play.   "This result makes the fight harder but there are still plenty of games and we have to make sure we go into the next match fully prepared.  "We now go into a run of games in March in which there are 30 points to play for."