Spots of bother but Lichties take points
ARBROATH 2 FORFAR ATH 0
DESPITE missing two first-half penalties, Arbroath came out on top in this Angus derby.
Midway through the first half, Omar Kader was tripped in the box but Bobby Linn’s spot-kick crashed off the bar.
The Lichties were awarded a second penalty on 39 minutes, Steven Doris being felled by Jamie Bain who received a straight red card. Ryan McCord took the kick on this occasion, only to see his effort brilliantly saved by Grant Adam.
With a one-man advantage, the home side piled on the pressure in the second half and they opened the scoring in the 51st minute with a Doris header which went in off Forfar’s David Cox.
Forfar sub Marc Scott almost sneaked an equaliser but hit the post.
Arbroath knocked the stuffing out of the leaders with No 2 in 77 minutes, Martin Scott scoring with a header.
Scott should have made it 3-0 but Adam comfortably collected his effort.
COWDENBEATH 2 ANNAN ATH 2
ANNAN had a chance in 13 minutes when David McKenna set up Aiden Smith but his 10-yarder was wide.
Then, in 21st minute, the visitors went ahead. A free-kick was blocked by the home wall and the ball flew to Barry Cuddihy, whose first-time 25-yarder gave Dave McGurn no chance.
The hosts tried to fight back and Fraser Mullen’s 22-yard free-kick was held by Blair Currie, then Gary Glen’s 30-yarder clipped the bar.
But, in 37 minutes, the visitors went two up. when McKenna’s 12-yard effort took a deflection off Gerry McLauchlan.
Cowden started the second-half well and, in 50 minutes, Kyle Miller headed home Mullen’s cross for 2-1.
Three minutes later, Currie had to save from a Kris Renton flick. Renton then saw his eight-yarder hit the post.
Annan had a chance for a third with 10 minutes left when McKenna set up Ryan Finnie but his finish from only six yards went well wide.
And they paid for it within 30 seconds when super sub Nikolay Todorov blasted the ball over Currie into the net from 12 yards to earn a draw.
MONTROSE 0 ELGIN CITY 5
ELGIN took the lead after two minutes when Daryl McHardy headed home, and he then repeated the feat in 20 minutes.
On the half-hour, Brian Cameron made it 3-0.
Montrose’s Gary Fraser was sent off on 41 minutes, then City added No 4 in 51 minutes through Shane Sutherland.
The hosts were down to nine men in 56 minutes when Calum MacDonald was sent off for a last-man foul on McLeish, and Elgin notched a fifth through Cameron from close range.
STIRLING ALB 0 BERWICK 0
STIRLING had more of the play and came close when Marc McKenzie was just too high from 20 yards, while Jordyn Sheerin flashed a 30-yarder wide at the other end.
Both teams had good penalty claims turned down. McKinlay appeared to be tripped by Sean Dickson in the second half, then Stirling sub Blair Henderson was barged in the dying seconds.
The visitors’ full-back Kevin McKinlay was sent off following a clash with team-mate Brian Martin late on.
EDINBURGH CITY 0 CLYDE 1
EDINBURGH CITY began the brightest, Ousman See going close with an effort after 13 minutes.
Clyde threatened with captain Scott McLaughlin forcing keeper Andrew Stobie to save his volley, which was heading towards the corner.
Clyde defender McNiff almost scored a headed own goal before the deadlock was broken in 70 minutes. A Chris Smith flick-on in Sean Higgins, who sent an overhead-kick into the corner.
City’s Craig Beattie had a late header ruled out by the referee for a push.