Arbroath1–0Elgin City

Arbroath returned to Gayfield with Todd Lumsden in control of the team again and he picked the same team that demolished Clyde last weekend. Which meant the team lined up with Crawford in goals and Johnstone, Nicoll, El-Zubaidi and Whatley in defence. The midfield was Linn, Stewart, Carreiro and McBride with Murray and McManus up front.

Adam Hunter who missed the trip to Clyde with work commitments made the bench alongside Buchan, Travis, Little, Birse, Lindsay and Morrison.

Anyone who lives in Arbroath will testify that it only seems to be terribly windy on Saturdays and again there was a strong wind which Clyde played with as they took centre and kicked off towards the harbour end.

Arbroath almost had a perfect opening but the ball through the box was just too quick as Paul McManus was ready to pounce. Bobby Linn was tackled heavily in the 2nd minute and won the free kick but also needed treatment to his ankle. Simon Murray came close in the 4th minute as he found space in the box and turned to shoot but just shot over from 8 yards.

Both teams enjoyed good spells of possession in the first half but nobody could find the goal with often many of the Elgin good spells failing with a lack of concentration in some of their moves with the ball going out several times for an Arbroath throw in, and Arbroath struggling to beat Marvin Andrews with their crosses into the box but thanks to Craig Johnstone Arbroath remained in the game as he cleared a Cooper header off the line from an Elgin Corner in the 16th minute.

Arbroath pressed and Carreiro, McManus and Linn all had shots on goal but it was in the 39th minute when Arbroath came closest when Paul McManus found space on the wing and his cross found Simon Murray at the near post who beat Marvin Andrews to the ball and his header went agonisingly close at the far post.

It was Johnstone again who made a crucial challenge just on the stroke of half time. Elgin’s Archie MacPhee was played into the Arbroath box and just as he was away to shoot from close range Johnstone slid in and blocked the ball and shot with a perfectly timed challenge.

Half time – Arbroath 0 – 0 Elgin City

Elgin made their first change of the game with Beveridge coming on for Cooper as Arbroath kicked off the second half. Arbroath seemed to have more energy as first Dylan Carreiro had a strike on goal before Bobby Linn had two efforts yet still the game remained goalless.

Simon Murray was fouled just outside the box which allowed Carreiro to shoot but his effort was saved before a foul by El-Zubaidi gave Elgin a free kick at the other end. Shane Sutherland stepped up and he curled it around the outside of the wall but his clever effort just snuck past.

Arbroath made their first change as Adam Hunter came on for Kieran Stewart and Hunter was soon involved as a foul by MacPhee on Carreiro won Arbroath a freekick and a yellow card to MacPhee. Adam Hunter took the free kick from about 30 yards out but his shot just missed. Arbroath continued their momentum as Murray ran into the box and shot but his effort was saved but Murray kept up the pressure with first a run down the wing which just missed, then another run from the right which was just blocked.

The pressure almost boiled over as Michael Fraser and Scott McBride almost came to blows. McBride with the rest of Arbroath fans felt Fraser was playing for time so McBride ran to get the ball and tried to run back and place it on the line for a goal kick but Fraser intercepted him and they had a quick altercation before the referee booked both players.

Marvin Andrews won a header from an Elgin Corner but his shot was saved by Crawford before finally the deadlock was broken by Arbroath. Simon Murray picked up the ball outside the box before running at goal and then cutting back before shooting past several Elgin defenders before rushing behind the goal to celebrate with the jubilant fans. Although referee Ross was a bit hard as he booked Murray for his celebration. Jump back a few weeks and a near identical celebration was deemed perfectly legitame in the game against Montrose. It’s the small inconsistences that irks fans.

Murray wasn’t finished as he flashed a shot over the bar before he found another chance and almost looped a header over Fraser before being replaced by Kevin Buchan. Substitute Buchan probably should have also been on the score sheet as in the space of 6 minutes he found himself in 3 great opportunities but perhaps the best also produced a fantastic save by Fraser.