Arbroath v East Fife, 27th January 2010
League Division Two, Gayfield
Arbroath 0 East Fife 1
Match Report: Alan Henderson
Photos: Jim Corstorphine
LAST GASP LINN
A dramatic injury-time penalty was converted by Bobby Linn to give the Fifers all three points in this tough encounter, after Davie Muir was clearly tripped by Rattray a foot inside the box following a good Fife move. The Fifers edged the match on pressure and possession, but had hardly tested keeper Hill until then. The final ten minutes saw Arbroath press forward in an effort to win the match at the death, but were undone by a quick move by the visitors, leading to Linn's goal.
On a chilly night at the seaside, the match started brightly, with Young setting up Crawford with a superb through ball on 10 mins, but Hill just beat the gaffer to the ball. A period of good passing football by the Fifers then followed, which kept the Red Lichties on the back foot. McManus,Young and Linn were all looking dangerous, but the home side were well marshalled by their experienced back four. Using a more direct approach, Hislop and Jackson looked lively up front, with Ovenstone making a great block from a Hislop effort.
Steve Crawford comes close to opening the scoring
As half time approached, Muir headed inches past from a delicate McManus cross; then Jackson hit a snap shot from outside the box, which Brown watched bounce off the post to safety.
The Fifers were still in the ascendancy in the second half - Watson in space ran into the box but fired high; Ovenstone went close with a header from a Linn corner; Watson and Linn had efforts deflected past; then there was an almighty scramble on the Arbroath line which was somehow cleared.
Having survived that pressure, the home side fought back in the final ten minutes, and forced the Fifers on to the back foot. Set pieces were causing the Fifers some problems, and Brown did well to tip a Rennie header from a corner over the bar with two minutes remaining. Into added time, and the Fifers broke up the park - good inter-passing presented Muir with a chance as he moved into the box - only for Rattray to take his legs and concede the penalty. Linn emphatically sent Hill the wrong way to tie up the points.
Dave Muir is brought down just inside the penalty area
There was still time for Arbroath to force a corner, but it was too little, too late. Having lost a number of late goals this season, it was very sweet for the team and their hardy away fans to have the boot on the other foot for once.
Arbroath: Hill, McMullan, McCulloch, Rennie, Rattray, Gibson, Doris, Lunan, Hislop, Jackson [Scott 78], Winters [McLean 61]. Subs not used: Morrison, Suttie, Moffat.
East Fife: Brown, Watson, Ovenstone, S Campbell [R Campbell 84], Smart, McCunnie, Crawford [Conway 77], Young, McManus [Cargill 90],Muir, Linn. Subs not used: Baillie, Fagan.
Referee: F McDermott
Booked: McCulloch [A] Ovenstone, Conway [EF]
