Lichties enjoy ‘great preparation’ for Wasps clash

Arbroath’s game on Saturday may have fallen victim to the wintry weather but boss Dick Campbell made sure his players weren’t idle ahead of tonight’s crunch League 1 fixture with Alloa.

The Red Lichties had been scheduled to play Ayr at Gayfield at the weekend but when that match was postponed, the manager moved quickly to make alternative training arrangements.

His son Ross, who is player-coach with Montrose, is also chief executive of the Oriam, Scotland’s national performance centre for sport, based at Heriot-Watt University’s Riccarton campus in Edinburgh.

Stewart Petrie’s Gable Endies were also looking to keep ticking over and the two Angus sides trained at the facility and also had a bounce game.

Now, Arbroath return to the real action against Jim Goodwin’s Wasps at the Indodrill Stadium with the two sides separated by just three points in the promotion play-off positions.

Campbell said last night: “Jim has been on the phone to me and he thinks the game is almost certain to go ahead.

“The pitch is looking fine although they are waiting to see about the roads surrounding the ground.

“We managed to keep the lads ticking over at the weekend with a really good training session and bounce game against Montrose at the Oriam in Edinburgh.

“I have to thank Ross for helping us use the full pitch and Stewart was happy with the opportunity.

“Everybody had a run-out so it was a worthwhile exercise and the lads got a really good sweat up. We did well but the result wasn’t important at all.”

Campbell added: “It was great preparation for the game at Alloa.

“We are three points in front of them with a superior goal difference so no matter what happens in the game, we will still be third.

“Ryan Wallace is suspended, Steven Doris is obviously still out but Josh Skelly and Ryan McCord are back fit again.

“But never in your wildest dreams two years ago would you have thought that Arbroath would have a possible bench with Gavin Swankie, Danny Denholm, Bobby Linn, Skelly and McCord.

“The squad all look like they are really up for the game so let’s just batter on with it.”

Dick Campbell is looking forward to the clash with Alloa at Indodrill Stadium.