Mccord’s magnificent seventh hailed by boss

Arbroath: Campbell says strike was ‘world class’ as team mauled Airdrie

Arbroath manager Dick Campbell doesn’t believe you’ll see a better goal than Ryan Mccord’s stunning final minute strike in the mauling of Airdrie at Gayfield on Saturday.

The Lichties put on an impressive display of firepower when recording their biggest win over the sorry side from Lanarkshire, with the goals coming from five different players.

Mccord’s 90th-minute counter,his second of the day, was the pick of the bunch, with the Arbroath midfielder chasing what seemed to be a lost cause as the ball headed towards the byline.

However, he somehow got to it and sent a perfectly-weighted curling shot into the far corner of the net from what seemed an impossible angle.

Campbell said: “Some of the goals were special – none more so than Ryan Mccord’s at the finish.

“It was world class. If that was in the Champions League it would be goal of the season.

“But he’s capable of doing that sort of thing.”

It was a view echoed by Mccord’s team-mate Gavin Swankie, who added: “It was some finish.

“It’s something you can try when you’re well ahead and it came off for him. I’m sure he’ll try it again.”

Swankie believes the result shows the Lichties are capable of featuring in the battle for promotion for a second season in a row.

He said: “The minimum we are looking for is to be in the play-offs. “We will try to challenge Raith. “They are a full-time club and have good players but we’ll try to keep on their tails.”

Airdrie took the lead in the 12th minute, Ryan Conroy sending David Hutton the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Arbroath retaliated six minutes later through Swankie, then scored again in the 27th minute with the second penalty of the afternoon, converted by Mccord.

The Lichties went further ahead with two goals inside two minutes shortly after the half hour mark.

Danny Denholm grabbed the first before Bobby Linn latched on to a poor back pass and rounded the keeper to shoot home.

Denholm notched his second on the hour mark and substitute Kane Hester added a sixth in the 83rd minute before Mccord’s magnificent seventh.

Ryan Mccord’s second strike in the 7-1 win would not have been out of place in the Champions League, says boss Dick Campbell.