Lochore Welfare 4 Arbroath Vics 3  19/04/2013

It was a much depleted Arbroath Vics side, which made the trip into Fife to meet Lochore Welfare in the league on Saturday.

Injuries ruled out Matty Johnston and Jake McWalter, while suspension put paid to David McLeish making an appearance.  With Colin Lawson, working, and Kane Hester, ill, also ruled out, Vics could only muster 13 players for the trip.

On the plus side, Steve Florence and Mark Fotheringham were both again available and came into the starting 11.

Vics got off to the best possible start with a goal barely a minute into the contest.  Craig Sturrock played the ball forward to Craig Watson and when he nodded the ball down into the Lochore box, ABDOURAHMAN NJIE got on the end of it to loft it over the head of goalkeeper Gary Inglis who had left his line.

A couple of minutes later, Vics forced a corner, but Garry Warren’s cross into the box was headed clear by Andy Rodger.

Lochore responded with a David Byrne throw-in being helped across to the far side of the box towards Scott Penman whose shot got a slight nick off the head of Mark Fotheringham as it went behind for a corner.

Soon after, David Byrne got the ball up the line to Scott Penman who gathered it at the corner flag before sending over a cross, which Craig Stephen partially cleared, and Scott Gibson send the loose ball wide of the target.

Craig Stephen put Vics on the offensive, breaking from his own half, and despite being fouled by Lee Reid he managed to get the ball out wide to Abdourahman Njie whose cross was headed wide by Craig Watson.  Having allowed Vics advantage, the referee yellow carded Lee Reid once the ball had gone out of play, for his foul on Craig Stephen in the build up.

With only 10 minutes played, Vics were forced into a change when Andy Cowan went over his ankle and had to hobble off to be replaced by Chris Simpson.

Despite that, Vics still looked the more likely of the two sides and following another free-kick, Garry Warren got in a shot from just inside the area, which Gary Inglis managed to claim under the bar.

It came as no surprise when Vics increased their lead in the 19th minute.  Craig Watson got on the end of a Garry Warren corner to power in a header, which was blocked on the line.  The Lochore defence were unable to get it away any distance, and when Craig Sturrock fired it back in from 19 yards; his shot looked to be going in until ABDOURAHMAN NJIE claimed the final touch with a glancing header to make sure.

Chris Simpson then let fly with a shot from distance, which just cleared the Lochore bar as Vics looked to add to their lead.

In the 25th minute, Craig Sturrock hit a great diagonal ball out wide to Abdourahman Njie on the right and continued his run to meet the cross, but his shot wasn’t as precise as his pass and his drive flew high over the bar.

At the other end, Lee Reid sent in a low shot, which was deflected wide, but apart from that there was little to worry Lee Hutcheson in Vics goal.

Vics finished the half on top and went in at the break good value for their two goal lead.

Half-time: Lochore Welfare 0 Arbroath Vics 2

Lochore made a change at the start of the second half when Michael Wallace came on for Conor Little.

The substitute was soon in the action and within five minutes had pulled a goal back for the home side.  David Byrne sent Brett McGuire away down the right, and when he pulled the ball back into the path of MICHAEL WALLACE, his low shot found the far corner of the net despite Lee Hutcheson getting a hand to it.

Two minutes later, the scores were level and again it was Michael Wallace who was instrumental in the goal.  The substitute took the ball towards the by-line before turning the ball back for LEE REID to drill into the net.

Vics were forced into a second change on the restart when Craig Watson pulled up and Grant Mowatt came on as his replacement.

Gary Inglis kept Lochore on level terms in the 55th minute when he dived to keep out a rocket shot from Chris Simpson in one handed fashion and was up quickly to grab the rebound before anyone in a Vics shirt could capitalise.

Craig Sturrock then almost found the net with a cross from the left, which deceived Gary Inglis and clipped the far post, but the keeper redeemed himself by diving to grab the ball at the feet of Grant Mowatt as he tried to squeeze in the rebound.

Scott Gibson became the second home player to be booked for a trip on Mark Fotheringham, before Vics edged back in front in the 64th minute.  Craig Sturrock whipped a free-kick into the box, which Andy Rodger made a hash of clearing and he only succeeded in teeing up ROSS KENNY, who smashed a shot into the net from around the penalty spot.

Vics came close to scoring again when a Garry Warren free-kick was deflected behind for a corner and from the flag-kick Andy Rodger’s header from under the bar only went as far as Grant Mowatt whose shot looked destined for the back of the net only for Gary Inglis to keep it out with a great save.

Brett McGuire then found himself in the referee’s notebook for a foul on Grant Mowatt.

Vics came close to scoring again in the 78th minute when Abdourahman Njie got on the end of a Garry Warren cross after his initial corner came back out to him and the striker’s header hit the bar and dropped over, with Vics claiming the keeper had got a vital touch.

With 10 minutes left, Vics were caught out when Lochore leveled the match at 3-3.  The ball was booted out of the ground, but with everyone waiting it being returned; Scott Penman picked up a spare one from the home dug out and threw it on to Michael Wallace who made ground down the left before pulling it back for SCOTT GIBSON to drill in.

Grant Mowatt had a chance to put Vics back into the lead when Ross Kenny and Garry Warren combined to play him in, but his shot on the run sped wide of the far post.

Lochore made a second change in the 82nd minute when Rory McCann came on for Andy Rodger.

A minute later, the home side went in front for the first time in the match.  Scott Penman sent over a corner and ROBERT FYFE was given a free run to bullet in a header.

With three minutes left, Lochore found themselves down to 10 men when Scott Gibson was sent off for picking up his second booking of the afternoon, following an altercation with Chris Simpson, who was also yellow carded.

The home side had a chance to make sure of the points when Rory McCann rolled the ball across the six-yard line in the 89th, but Kevin Goodwin just failed to reach it and Vics were able to clear their lines.

That left one last chance for Vics in stoppage time when Craig Stephen crossed into the middle for Ross Kenny, but he was quickly surrounded by Lochore jerseys and his 20 yard shot drifted over the bar.

After a 2-0 interval lead, Vics looked as if they would go on to pick up the three points, but they contrived to let a winning situation slip, not once but twice after the break as Lochore battle back to grab the win.

Lochore Welfare:  1 Gary Inglis  2 David Byrne  3 Conor Little (sub 15 Michael Wallace 46 mins)  4 Andy Rodger (sub 16 Rory McCann 82 mins)  5 Robert Fyfe  6 Grant Laing  7 Kevin Goodwin  8 Lee Reid  9 Brett McGuire  10 Scott Gibson  11 Scott Penman.  Unused subs: 12 Kevin Drummond  14 Scott Goodwin.

Arbroath Vics: 1 Lee Hutcheson  2 Craig Stephen  3 Craig Sturrock  4 Andy Cowan (sub 12 Chris Simpson 10 mins)  5 Kevin Durno  6 Steve Florence  7 Ross Kenny  8 Mark Fotheringham  9 Craig Watson (sub 14 Grant Mowatt 53 mins)  10 Abdourahman Njie  11 Garry Warren.

Referee: Mr. B. Reid (Kinross).

Yellow cards:  Lochore: Lee Reid, Scott Gibson, Brett McGuire.  Vics: Chris Simpson.  Red cards: Lochore: Scott Gibson.  Vics: None.