Down Linn the mouth
Striker has to bide time as Lichties soar
Ian Campbell says hotshot Bobby Linn will need to wait it out on the bench as Arbroath barged their way in to a promotion play-off spot.
The Red Lichties No.2 was delighted as goals from Dale Hilson and David Gold moved them into fourth place.
And he says it’s a measure of the team’s success that last year’s SPFL League 1 Player of the Year winner is marking time on the subs bench.
Linn, who netted 23 goals last term, didn’t even make it on to the pitch at Gayfield to face Queen of the South.
He has found himself benched after the arrival of January signings Hilson and Craig Wighton.
And Campbell said: “The fact Bobby has been on the bench recently says it all. He’s probably the fittest 34-yearold I’ve ever seen and he has carried us a lot in the past.
“We are delighted to be able to give him a rest but there’s no doubt he’ll be back. He’s a fantastic pro and there is so much competition for places right now because the team is doing so well.
“We aren’t even thinking about where we are in the league and we haven’t set a points target. We don’t work like that but we are where we are on merit.”
Yesterday win was Arbroath’s third successive victory.
With Storm Dennis ravaging the fixture card it seemed a minor miracle that the closest stadium in Europe to major water could host a game.
But Gayfield was, correctly, declared fit for purpose by ref Steven Reid.
And compared to some of the gale-hit games in Scotland yesterday this match was played in a gentle breeze.
Arbroath took the game to Queens and stormed into an early lead as Jason Thomson’s superb cross was headed home by Gold.
The visitors, spurred on by veteran striker Stephen Dobbie, a lmost bounced back immediately.
Dobbie snatched at his first chance as he trundled a low 15-yard strike straight into Derek Gaston’s hands.
But the Arbroath keeper had to work much harder for his next save, somehow getting his fingertips to a net-bound Dobbie 30-yard free-kick to turn it around for a corner.
Moments later Lee Kilday headed a
Dobbie corner off the post. But as the half wore on Arbroath dominated, forcing a succession of corners in the hunt for a second goal.
It arrived in 36 minutes, with Thomson again the architect.
The right-back’s quick throw found Gavin Swankie who cutback for Hilson to hammer home from six yards.
Arbroath picked up where they left off in the second half with both Hilson and Mark Whatley coming close.
Queens keeper Ross Stewart blocked Whatley’s 20-yard effort and was alert to grasp a swirling Hilson free-kick at the second attempt.
Allan Johnston’s men tried to force their way back into the game with sub Jack Hamilton heading an Iain Wilson cross just wide.
Wighton missed a golden chance to net a third, pouncing on a rebounded James Craigen effort only to shoot wide with the goal at his mercy.
Queens manager Johnston said: “We got what we deserved – nothing.
“Arbroath outfought us in the middle of the park and right throughout my team we didn’t perform anywhere near well enough.”