I’ve got the Lowdown on making us champs
Nicky spent three months injured working out how to make Arbroath even better
NICKY LOW says figuring out how he could make Arbroath even better kept him occupied on the sidelines for the last three months.
On the evidence of his power-packed display in Saturday’s win over Raith, it was study time well spent.
The former Dundee and Aberdeen midfielder was only supposed to play for an hour on his first start since September.
Eased back in as a substitute in last week’s defeat to Ayr, Low was the driving force behind a superb response to that setback at Kirkcaldy as Dick Campbell’s dreamers stormed four points clear of the chasing Championship title pack.
That was thanks to Low lashing home an 81st-minute penalty.
The boost of having Low
2
back on top form cannot be underestimated.
The 30-year-old chipped in with three goals and five assists in 13 appearances before damaging his ankle against Kilmarnock.
Arbroath fared rather fine in his absence, but his return is another persuasive argument for saying that Campbell’s shock troops won’t wilt any time soon.
Low said: “I watched a lot when I was out and watched where I thought I could improve the team, situations where I could get on the ball a bit more.
“It’s very frustrating because I love my football and want to play every minute of every game.
“I’m delighted to be back, I’ve missed a large chunk of the season and the boys have been flying.
“People keep asking ‘What are the ambitions?’.
We’re top of the league by four points.
“I think we’ve played everyone in the league once or twice and we’re as good as anybody in my opinion.
“We’ve lost a couple of big players, some loan players going back, but we’ve come to Raith – one of the best teams in this league – to win.
“We’re going into the latter stages of the season and we’re not going away.”
Low made a beeline for Craig Reynolds on the bench after his winner, to acknowledge the physio’s hard work in nursing him
back to fitness. Low said: “Craigie has been brilliant with me throughout my rehab.
“He was always phoning me and I can always call him any time of night. If I got a setback and got myself all worried, he’d calm me down.
“So that was a bit of appreciation for him because he has worked hard with me.
“I’m just thankful I’m back now and there’s a chunk of the season to go for me to play my part.”
Campbell’s men hit back from going behind to a Reghan Tumilty goal that looked offside, before the interval.
Jack Hamilton, back on loan from Livingston after scoring eight for them last season, bundled home an early second-half equaliser.
And Low’s spot-kick means Arbroath have now won at the home of all four of their nearest rivals.
Low added: “It’s a massive three points. Most teams who challenge for leagues don’t normally lose two in a row – and we’ve not.
“We’ve shown character that says we’re still going to challenge and be up there.”
Boss John McGlynn was livid as Raith made it five games without a victory.
Following three previous loan spells, Jamie Gullan hopes his permanent signing from Hibs can provide a mid-season spark.
He believes Rovers can keep pace with Arbroath after they attempt to avoid a Scottish Cup banana skin at Banks O’Dee next weekend.
Gullan said: “Hopefully we can go up to Aberdeen and get that winning feeling back and that might kick the boys on.
“Our form hasn’t been promotion form lately but we have the players, manager and staff to turn this around.
“I think it was more the way we played than the actual result that made the manager unhappy.
“Had we had all the goal attempts and battered them, then that can happen. But we didn’t – and he was annoyed at that.
“We stopped trying to pass the ball and almost went direct – and that’s not how we want to play.”