East Stirling2–3Arbroath

Arbroath travelled down to Stenhousemuir to face East Stirlingshire knowing that both Queen’s Park and Albion Rovers faced away trips also. Anyone who made the trip down south from Arbroath would have encountered lots of snowy scenes on their journey but thankfully the wintery conditions had eluded the small town of Stenhousemuir.

Arbroath stuck with the same team that started against Annan Athletic. That meant a starting line up of McCallum, Little, Nicoll, El-Zubaidi, and Johnstone with Linn, Whatley, Hunter and Carrerio and Smith and Murray up front. Dylan Carreiro making his final appearance for Arbroath as his 93 day emergency loan came to an end.

The Arbroath bench was again without Stewart, Wallace and Birse but Arbroath were able to name 6 substitutes with McManus, Buchan, McBride, Lowdon, Lindsay and Morrison.

Conditions were bright but chilly and perhaps the weather was a factor as the attendance couldn’t muster past 300. East Stirlingshire kicked off the game as Arbroath aimed towards the end with a stand behind the goal. The game started off brightly with both teams going from one end to the other but there was very little to show for it. Adam Hunter felt the full force of a clearance as it hit him straight in the face which left the midfielder winded. The Shire had the first shot of the game from a corner kick but Luke Donnelly shot over. Arbroath’s first half chance was from a cross by Simon Murray. Murray broke down the right wing and as he crossed into the middle it was just a fraction behind Smith who did well to connect but his shot looped over both keeper and bar.

Simon Murray’s natural instinct and sheer determination to chase down every ball and player paid off yet again when an early Christmas gift was laid straight into his path. A mix up and lack of Communication between the East Stirlingshire keeper Barnard and his defender Graeme McGregor seen a ball played by Jack Smith straight into Murray’s path and he made no mistake from 5 yards out to put Arbroath into the lead.

The rest of the first half Arbroath dominated possession with Little and Johnstone getting forward offering support and Linn and Carreiro switching wings throughout but Barnard in the East Stirlingshire goal dealt well with efforts from Linn and Carreiro. Arbroath were almost made to pay for their lack of bite up front when East Stirlingshire won a free kick about 22 yards out from the Arbroath goal after Hunter fouled Donnelly. David Greenhill placed the ball before running up to strike a beautifully curled free kick around the Arbroath wall and as he watched on he must have been ready to celebrate but Marc McCallum somehow dived from the centre of his goal, up to his left hand side to push the ball out for a corner. It truly was a fantastic save.

Half time – East Stirlingshire 0 – 1 Arbroath

East Stirlingshire threatened again straight after the start of the second half and as Neil McCabe run in to shoot from the right hand side McCallum came rushing out and got his hand to the ball at his near post to push out for another corner.

The Shire weren’t finished and in the 55th minute Greenhill and McKenna put together a neat exchanges of passes to send in McKenna and he made no mistake and fired past McCallum who had no chance. It was only to get worse for the Lichties as just after the restart the Arbroath defence were their own worst enemies. Marc McCallum came running out of his goal to help his defence who were under pressure but a sloppy back pass meant McCallum had McKenna closing him down and although McCallum was able to clear the mishit ball only landed about 35 yards up the pitch and it fell straight at the feet of McCabe who seeing McCallum caught in no mans land, looked up and calmly lofted the ball high watching it bounce into the empty net to put East Stirlingshire into the lead.

Manager Allan Moore made his first change of the game before Arbroath restarted with Jack Smith being replaced by Paul McManus. A second change followed a few minutes later when Aldin El-Zubaidi was replaced with Scott McBride who slotted in to partner Kevin Nicoll in defence.

Arbroath slowly started to wrestle their way back into the game and Mark Whatley was the first to take his chance as he picked up the ball in midfield and ran forward before shooting from 25 yards out but Barnard got down to save. Michael Bolochoweckyj was shown a yellow card for a foul on Kevin Nicoll as he surged forward. Arbroath really went for it when Kevin Buchan replaced Dylan Carreiro in the 68th minute.

It was a good move by Ricky Little coming from the right wing into the box which was the catalyst for Arbroath winning a corner kick which resulted in the first part of Arbroath’s comeback. Simon Murray who was now playing almost as a winger on the left hand side took the corner kick and the ball found Paul McManus who was loitering in the box and his right foot shot went high into the net. It was his 15th goal of the season!

The pendulum had swung back fully in the favour of Arbroath and McManus almost came provider when he found Bobby Linn but he volleyed over before Adam Hunter forced Barnard to parry as he shot from distance.

Paul McManus scored his 16th goal of the season when Craig Johnstone beat Greene on the wing to find space to put a sweeping cross right across goal and with Kevin Buchan and Paul McManus sliding in it was Paul McManus who got the vital touch at the back post.

Late yellow cards for Craig Johnstone as the referee deemed he kicked the ball away, then for Kevin Buchan for bouncing the ball away, but Arbroath almost stretched their lead when Paul McManus sent Murray down the wing and he ran down the wing before cutting inside and came inches away from adding to his tally but his shot just went over.