Sunday Mail: ARBROATH boss Jim Weir has warned his troops to be wary of an aerial assault after clinching their place in the Second Division play-off final with Forfar.
The Lichties had a four-goal lead from the first leg and added to the tally thanks to goals from Marc McCulloch and Mitch Megginson. But Michael Daly's goal and an Alan Rattray o.g. gave the Spiders respect.
Weir said: "I was disappointed with some of the defending. "Forfar are the land of the giants so we can't afford to be so generous. "We need to be able to deal with their big men on the night."
McCulloch fired in a third-minute free-kick before Megginson made it 2-0 in 15 minutes. Daly pulled one back in 57 minutes for Queens and Rattray's header in 82 minutes levelled.
Spiders' boss Gardner Spiers said: "At least we managed to restore some pride - I give the boys credit for that."
Courier : ARBROATH SET up a second division play-off derby final against Forfar with a 6-2 aggregate win over Queen’s Park.
Arbroath virtually booked their ticket to the final with the four away goals scored against The Spiders in the first leg and any residual hopes of a second leg fightback were snuffed out quickly.
After just two minutes the visitors’ defensive wall looked more like a sieve and Marc McCulloch’s free-kick found a gap to give keeper Mark McGeown no chance.
The swirling wind created problems for defenders Paul Gallacher and Robert Walker as they went for a high ball in the 15th minute and Mitch Megginson needed no second invitation to nip the ball from them, round the keeper and slot home to make it 6-0 on aggregate.
Not surprisingly, Arbroath’s second half performance lacked the same bite with their rhythm broken by substitutions to ensure fresh legs for the Forfar games.
Strong runs by Callum Booth and Steven Doris created half chances but it was Michael Daly who headed in Queen’s Park’s first off a corner in 57 minutes. In the 83rd minute they levelled when Alan Rattray’s attempt to clear a Barry Douglas cross glanced off his head and bulleted into his own net.
Although the windy conditions played a part in each of the goals and despite the 6-2 aggregate score, manager Jim Weir was disappointed at the manner in which goals were lost.
“Set plays have been our biggest problem and they are a strength of the Forfar game, so we must be ready for them,” he said.
“We knew we were going to win and our game became a bit flat. Maybe the changes interrupted the rhythm but we should have won the game.
“On the positive side we are scoring goals and that is important. The Forfar games will be a big test physically but we have home advantage first.”
Scotland on Sunday Arbroath to meet neighbours in decider
ARBROATH clinched a place in the Second Division play-off final by completing a 6-2 aggregate win over Queen's Park.
It was always going to be an uphill struggle for Queen's after losing the first leg 4-0 and any slim hopes they had of salvaging the tie were crushed in the third minute when Arbroath captain Marc McCulloch fired a 20-yard free-kick low beyond Mark McGeown for his first goal of the season.
On-loan Aberdeen youngster Mitch Megginson heaped further misery on the Spiders in the 15th minute when he took advantage of a mix-up between Paul Gallagher and Robert Walker to grab Arbroath's second.
Queen's refused to give up, however and Michael Daly pulled one back when he turned home a Barry Douglas corner in the 57th minute. And the Spiders drew level eight minutes from time when Arbroath centre half Alan Rattray headed a Barry Douglas cross beyond Hill.
Jim Weir's side now face near neighbours Forfar in what promises to be an intriguing clash to determine which side plays in the Second Division.
The occasion will be given added spice by the inclusion in the Forfar squad of former Arbroath stalwarts Barry Sellars, Jamie Bishop and Paul Watson, all of whom made the short journey across Angus during the January transfer window.