Forfar Albion 2 Arbroath Vics 5 22/02/2014
While Arbroath were entertaining Forfar at Gayfield, Arbroath Vics were heading in the opposite direction for a McBookie.com North Division league derby at Guthrie Park against Forfar Albion on Saturday.
Despite the poor weather since the start of the year, Guthrie Park was looking in good condition, despite being soft underfoot, as the match got underway.
Vics were first to create an opening when Craig Watson chased a long ball towards the Albion box, which enticed keeper Ryan Haldane out of his area, but the striker’s header came off the leg of the goalkeeper and the home defence were able to scramble the ball away.
Ryan Haldane was again called into action soon after when he dived low to his left to smother a low drive from Ross Kenny.
With only four minutes on the clock, it was the home side that opened the scoring however. MARK McINTOSH picked up the ball in midfield and advanced forward before letting fly with a drive, which Lee Hutcheson got both hands to but he could only push the ball over his head and help it into the net.
Within a minute, the scores were level. ROSS KENNY picked up the ball some 25 yards from goal and hit an unstoppable shot high into the top right hand corner.
The glut of goals continued when Vics took the lead with only nine minutes on the clock. GRANT MOWATT gathered in a Craig Stephen throw and sent a low ball into the box, which eluded everyone and went in off the far post, past the unsighted Ryan Haldane.
Four minutes later, a Lee Hutcheson clearance found its way through to Ross Kenny on the left and his cross took a deflection and almost caught Ryan Haldane unawares, but the keeper recovered to dive and smother it inside the six-yard box.
Grant Mowatt then sent Jake McWalter in on goal with a flighted ball over the top of the Albion defence but his low shot was easily gathered by Ryan Haldane.
Vics thought they had increased their lead in the 20th minute when Ross Kenny slammed the ball in from close range following a Craig Sturrock cross, but his effort was disallowed for offside.
Soon after, Ross Kenny got on the end of a Grant Mowatt corner at the near post, but his downward header bounced wide of the upright.
In the 28th minute, the home side was forced into a change when Dale Millar picked up a knock and was replaced by David Geekie.
Having been on the back foot since opening the scoring, Albion came close to getting back on level terms when Sean Ferrar sent a dangerous cross into the box and Scott Black sent a glancing header wide of the far post.
At the other end, Grant Mowatt sent a free-kick inches wide of the post after he had been obstructed a few yards outside the box.
Despite that, Albion squared the match at 2-2 in the 33rd minute. Steve Florence uncharacteristically lost possession on the half-way line, allowing Mark McIntosh to sprint forward before he was brought down in the box by Matty Johnston. SCOTT BLACK was entrusted with the resultant penalty, and although Lee Hutcheson got hands to his kick, he was unable to prevent it from finding the net.
Vics continued to look the more likely to regain the lead and Ryan Haldane produced a great save in the 35th minute to push a Craig Watson header over the bar when it seemed destined for the back of the net.
With five minutes of the half left, Grant Mowatt was denied by the post when he took a return pass from Abdourahman Njie inside the area and his drive rebounded back into play off the base off the upright.
Half-time: Forfar Albion 2 Arbroath Vics 2
Vics were first to show after the interval when Steve Florence sent Abdourahman Njie racing through the Albion defence but his first effort was blocked, and his follow-up on the rebound was deflected behind for a corner.
Abdourahman Njie was denied again three minutes later when he saw a shot half blocked by Ryan Haldane and it was enough to take the pace off the ball allowing Ross Cormack to get back and clear before it could cross the line.
Lee Hutcheson then kept Vics in front when he dived full length to push a thunderous drive from Scott Watson round the post for a corner. From the flag-kick, Lee Hutcheson punched Sean Ferrar’s cross out towards the 18-yard line where Mark McIntosh lofted it back in, but his effort carried too much elevation and sailed over the bar.
Albion made their second change of the afternoon soon after when Chris Bell came on for Kerr Watson.
The home side was having their best spell of the match, and Lee Hutcheson had to be alert to tip a deceptive Frazer Elder cross over the bar when it threatened to sneak in under it.
Their good work was undone soon after however when Vics went in front. Grant Mowatt and Craig Watson combined on the edge of the box to slide in ROSS KENNY and he fired a shot beyond the reach of Ryan Haldane.
Three minutes later, Vics made a change when Jake McWalter made way for Garry Warren.
The substitute was quickly involved breaking up the left and slipping the ball into the box for Craig Watson but he elected to shoot towards the near post and his effort went into the side net.
Albion were next to make a substitution when Frazer Elder was replaced by Stuart Thomson.
The points were effectively wrapped up in the 72nd minute when ROSS KENNY slammed in his third from just inside the box to give Vics a two goal cushion.
That proved to be the last contribution from the hat-trick hero as he was replaced along with Craig Watson minutes later by Andy Cowan and David McLeish.
The home side had visibly wilted in the last 20 minutes and after a sustained Vics attack it needed a good save from Ryan Haldane, beating away Garry Warren’s drive, to prevent Vics from scoring a fifth.
A fifth goal wasn’t long delayed when ABDOURAHMAN NJIE got on the end of a cross from the left to plant a header beyond the reach of Ryan Haldane with seven minutes left.
Vics had chances to increase their tally to six before the close, but were unable to do so and shortly before the conclusion, Craig Stephen picked up the only yellow card of the game for clattering into Scott Black on the far touchline.
It took Vics a while to wear down a dogged Albion side, but they made most of the running throughout the 90 minutes and were more than worthy of the win at the end of the day.
Teams:
Forfar Albion: 1 Ryan Haldane 2 Kerr Watson (sub 16 Chris Bell 58 mins) 3 Frazer Elder (sub 15 Stuart Thomson 70 mins) 4 Lee Bertie 5 Ross Cormack 6 Matthew Florence 7 Mark McIntosh 8 Sean Ferrar 9 Scott Black 10 Scott Watson 11 Dale Millar (sub 14 David Geekie 28 mins). Unused subs: 12 Scott Brown 17 Keith Beattie.
Arbroath Vics: 1 Lee Hutcheson 2 Craig Stephen 3 Craig Sturrock 4 Jake McWalter (sub 12 Garry Warren 63 mins) 5 Matty Johnston 6 Steve Florence 7 Grant Mowatt 8 Mark Fotheringham 9 Craig Watson (sub 14 David McLeish 75 mins) 10 Abdourahman Njie 11 Ross Kenny (sub 15 Andy Cowan 75 mins). Unused subs: 16 Kevin Durno Gk Jack Whitton.
Referee: Mr. M. McIlvenny (Dundee).
Yellow cards: Albion: None. Vics: Craig Stephen. Red cards: None.
Vics travel into Fife to meet Kennoway Star Hearts in the league on Saturday. Kick-off is at 2.30 p.m. and transport leaves Ogilvy Park at 12 noon.
