Match-winner Kader takes stick after ending wait for home goal

ARBROATH 1 ALBION ROVERS 0

Lichties star Omar Kader believes his match-winning goal against Albion Rovers is one of the best he has scored – but admits to having taken some stick from his manager and team-mates after missing an arguably much simpler chance.

The flying winger broke the deadlock shortly before the half hour mark when he cut in from the left and unleashed a ferocious drive which soared into the roof of the net beyond a helpless Kieran Wright in the Rovers goal.

It was only his third goal of the season and his first for Arbroath at Gayfield since August 2016.

Kader should have extended the hosts’ lead shortly before the interval but, with the goal at his mercy, he blasted the ball wide from six yards after Blair Yule’s effort had rebounded off Wright.

He said: “I am delighted we got the win but I’m happy to have got the goal as well. It is probably one of my best but I haven’t scored too many at Gayfield. I only got one here last season so it’s good to get off the mark this time.

“The gaffer let me know about the other chance.

“I should have done better, but it just bounced up too much.”

Albion, managed by former Arbroath player Brian Kerr, made the home side work hard for the three points, although the Lichties’ dominance would have been rewarded with a more flattering scoreline had Leighton McIntosh converted his last-minute chance when clean through with only Wright to beat.

Lichties assistant manager Ian Campbell was nevertheless satisfied with the outcome.

He said: “A lot of times defences don’t get enough credit but I thought that organisationally today we were super.

“I don’t think Albion created a chance . They are a good side, a passing side, and they can create problems but organisationally we dealt with it very well.

“Omar’s finish was fantastic and it was one of four or five chances we created in the first half.

“In the second half we were well on top without creating too many chances.

“A lot of the things we are doing in training are beginning to fall into place. The play-offs is our target and at the moment we are where we want to be.”