Press & Journal: Arbroath gear up for ‘cup final’
Lichties will stay up if they beat East Fife after shock win at sons offers salvation
Arbroath remain in the relegation place but Second Division survival is now in their hands after a deserved win over Dumbarton.
Victory against East Fife at Gayfield this weekend will mean that the Red Lichties stay up, regardless of what Stenhousemuir do.
Arbive displayroath manager Jim Weir said: “It’s our cup final. A number of weeks ago we were eight points adrift but I told the players if they battled away they could do it.
“We’ve been a bit unlucky in the last few games and also with injuries, but in this one we defended well and I’m proud of them.”
Dumbarton’s home loss was one of the day’s shock results. The Sons had harboured hopes of overtaking Brechin into the promotion play-offs but did not look as if they believed in themselves. They had plenty of the ball but created no clear chances.
Arbroath went ahead six minutes before the break when Jamie Redman’s low shot from the edge of the box somehow found its way through a forest of legs and nestled in the corner of the net.Their second arrived four minutes after the restart and, following some comical defending, it came courtesy of a sublime finish.
The Sons made a total mess of clearing a corner – with at least four of their players failing to get the ball away – and when it ran to the byline Mitch Megginson whipped in a first-time drive on the turn which home goalkeeper Michael White could only help into the roof of the net.
It was Megginson’s third goal in four games and Weir was full of praise for the player. Weir said: “He has a great ability of putting the ball in the net, so what more could I ask for?”
Mark McCulloch headed off the line moments later to maintain the two-goal cushion and Darren Hill saved comfortably from an Iain Chisholm volley as the home side huffed and puffed.
The Courier ARBROATH’S FATE is still in their own hands after they beat Dumbarton 2-0 on Saturday.
The Gayfielders came out fighting, with Ian Nimmo and Mitch Megginson looking dangerous in the box.
Early on, Megginson burst through the defence, passing three Sons defenders, but his finishing let him down. Robbie Ross also looked hungry and Dumbarton’s keeper Michael White did well when he denied the striker his chance.
But it was Jamie Redman who broke the deadlock, on 38 minutes, finding the corner of the net from just outside the 18-yard line. Arbroath cemented the victory when, four minutes after the break, Megginson took advantage of poor home defending of a corner and slotted the ball away from a tight angle.
Jim Weir said of the team spirit that had given Arbroath a chance, “Our battling qualities were there for everyone to see.” On next week’s vital clash with East Fife, the Arbroath boss said, “It’s our cup final.”
Now it will come down to maths, as the Warriors welcome Peterhead and the Fifers travel to Gayfield.If the Methil men lose and Stenny win, Stevie Crawford’s team will find themselves in the relegation play-off spot. A draw would be enough to stay up.
The East Fife player-boss said nothing less than a positive attitude will do going into the clash. “We’ve just got to stay positive and remain focused for next week’s visit,” said Crawford. He added, “It’s just inconsistency and that’s something we’ll continue to work on. “We’ve got to stop losing the bad goals and we’ve got to be more clinical up front. “There are games we should have taken points from but you can’t feel sorry for yourself.
“It’s happened too many times this season and you end up in the league where you deserve to be. At least it’s still in our own hands.”