The bunnet is back as Dick Campbell is appointed Arbroath boss

New Arbroath manager Dick Campbell watched as his side went down to a 3-0 defeat at Berwick Rangers last night – and admitted afterwards that he knows the size of the task which lies ahead.

The loss leaves the Lichties second bottom of League Two – five points ahead of East Stirlingshire.

“I am well aware of what needs to be done,” said Campbell after watching goals from Blair Henderson (2) and Darren Lavery allow Berwick to leapfrog the Lichties, who have now not scored since February 13.

“I have been in football a long time and nothing phases me.

“I think that goal caught us cold because it came so early in the game. We were off guard.

“We then looked the better side for a spell, but the second goal came on the counter attack and it hit us badly.

“In saying that, Berwick were the hungrier of the two sides and deserved their victory.”

Campbell’s appointment was confirmed by the Gayfield board earlier in the day and he replaces Todd Lumsden, who was sacked at the weekend after defeat to Stirling Albion.

Campbell’s twin brother Ian will act as assistant, while John Young, a former Arbroath manager, will complete his backroom team.

Campbell was sacked by Forfar after seven and a half years at Station Park – leading them to the Championship Play-Off final last season – and has also managed Dunfermline, Brechin, Partick Thistle and Ross County.

The game was only four minutes old when Berwick striker Henderson found the net from a rebound after a Sandy Cunningham shot was blocked and fell into his path.

Arbroath’s Bobby Linn was bundled over in the box, but referee Colin Steven waved play on.

Rangers keeper Kevin Walker then had to go full stretch to make a good save from a Greg Rutherford header. Less than a minute later, Allan Fleming was called into action at the other end, saving with his legs from a low shot by Darren Lavery after the ball was played through to him by Graeme Beveridge.

The Lichties looked to force a way back before half-time but they were denied by a mixture of wayward finishing and good defending from the home side.

At the start of the second half Kieran Stewart volleyed wide from distance as Arbroath applied the early pressure, but after 51 minutes Henderson struck again, picking up a loose ball and turning and shooting from an acute angle

The victory was guaranteed on the hour when Lavery headed in a third from close range after playing a neat one-two with Beveridge.

Henderson had a great chance to complete his hat-trick when McKenna slipped the ball through to him, but he shot wide from the edge of the box.

Berwick: Walker, Beveridge, Wilson, Fairbairn, Crane, McGregor, Graham, Cunningham (Coultress 76), McKenna (Stevenson 72), Lavery, Henderson (McNeil 87).

Arbroath: Fleming, Wilson, Lowdon, Little, Munro, Whatley, Linn, Stewart (Cecilia 61), Rutherford (Hester 74), Skelly, Williams (Ramsay 61).

Referee: Colin Steven.

New Lichties boss Dick Campbell.