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Albion Rovers 0 v 3 Arbroath |
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Albion Rovers 0 v 3 Arbroath |
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| Scottish League Third Division 31st March 2007 |
Attendance : 488
Arbroath ~ McCulloch (24), Scott (78), Webster (81).
For the sixth time this season Albion Rovers and Arbroath squared up and this time Arbroath took all three available points to push for end of season honours. Rovers welcomed back Gordon Lennon and Dave McFarlane back from injury, joined by new boys Andrew Brown and John McGeough, the latter having played a few matches as a trialist.
The match started 10 minutes late due to travelling problems for the visiting fans who would otherwise have missed the first minute Jay Stein corner which swung in viciously forcing David Scott into touching the ball out for a corner. That corner led to former Rover Ian Dobbins hitting the ball off Scott when he seemed to have plenty of space to do something more productive.
A weak Kevin Nicoll shot straight to another former Coatbridge man Mark Peat in the Arbroath goalmouth. Play switched end quickly and Pat Walker sprang into action supplying Scott Chaplain with the ball resulting in a woeful delivery.
In 24 minutes the Red Lichties went ahead when Marc McCulloch smacked in a 25 yard free-kick past the assembled wall and 'keeper. The game quietened down somewhat with both sides plugging away not achieving much until McGeough swung in a free-kick into the Arbroath penalty box, Walker put in a strong header which failed to trouble Peat.
The first period ended with Walker shooting from 5 yards out only for the ball to rebound from the 'keeper and go out for an unproductive corner.
Half-Time
Rovers came out fighting on the restart and Scott Chaplain hit a screamer from 25 yards which Peat just managed to direct over his crossbar. McGeough came close when his cross cum shot from the far side rebounded from the crossbar. Alan Brazil was on the end of a Kevin Nicoll tackle on the 6 yard line but claims for a penalty were waved away by Mr. Hardie.
Gordon Lennon just back from a hamstring injury picked up what appeared to be an ankle knock and was off for a few minutes receiving treatment. When the influential defender returned to play he didn't seem to have regained full mobility and when an attacker sprinted in his direction his challenge seemed clumsy. The player went down and fans wondered whether it was inside or outside the box, this discussion proved pointless when Mr. Hardie awarded a goal-kick to Rovers having adjudged the tackle as fair and the ball having gone out of play thereafter.
In 78 minutes Arbroath substitute Brian Scott evaded the attentions of Lennon and blasted the ball past his namesake David between the sticks, making it 2 - 0 for the Lichties.
Webster replaced Stein in 80 minutes and less than a minute later with his first touch of the ball he scored his sides third and final goal after Scott supplied the all important pass.
After an off the ball incident and a couple of bookings for Lennon of Rovers and Raeside of the visitors for complaining the final action of the match saw McGeough red carded for a foul on Reilly who'd been the alleged victim of the previous incident.
Summary
A disappointing display by Albion Rovers which none the less seemed to deserve a lower margin of defeat.
Albion Rovers : Scott, Moffat, Lennox, Lennon, Donnelly (Chisholm 78), Nicoll, Smith, Chaplain, Felvus (MacFarlane 66), Walker (Brown 66), McGeough. Subs Not Used : Creaney, Thompson.
Arbroath : Peat, Rennie, McCulloch, Raeside, Dobbins, Smith, Black, Reilly, Brazil (McMullen 69), Tosh (Scott 74), Stein (Webster 80). Subs Not Used : Martin, Morrison.