Red Lichties show a ruthless streak

EAST FIFE 0 ARBROATH 3

Delighted Arbroath boss Dick Campbell praised his side for being ruthless in attack and mean spirited in defence.

Campbell’s Lichties remain top of League One after seeing off East Fife 3-0 at Bayview at the weekend.

The Lichties boss said his side’s showing was as professional as it gets.

“I thought it was a very clinical performance,” said Campbell. “Our goals were classy. “East Fife is a very difficult place to go, so to not concede and score three goals makes me very happy.

“I thought we deserved to win the game.

“Sometimes you reap what you sow in a game and I thought we were very professional.

“The last 10-15 minutes we maybe sat back a bit and let them come at us but the game had been won. “The journey goes on.

“I was absolutely delighted with Callum Smith’s input after coming into the game. He’s helped to make the third goal.

“Ryan Wallace was outstanding as well.”

East Fife started the game well and thought they had taken the lead when Jonny Court broke clear on the Arbroath goal and netted.

The assistant referee kept his flag down but East Fife’s celebrations were cut short when referee Scott Millar stepped in to judge himself that Court was offside.

Insult was added to injury just a few minutes later when Arbroath took the lead through Thomas O’brien who nodded home a Ryan Wallace corner.

It was 2-0 before the break when Jason Thomson raced down the wing and picked out Wallace free inside the box.

The striker composed himself before beating Brett Long. Out of nowhere East Fife were two goals down and, to be fair, had not played particularly badly.

They started the second half brightly as they tried to force their way back into the game and the lively Anton Dowds was unlucky not to find the net on more than one occasion.

However, while they were pressing high up the park, Arbroath hit them on the counter attack.

Man of the match Wallace was again at the heart of things, breaking clear of the East Fife defence and squaring for sub Danny Denholm to net.

With the clock ticking down, East Fife almost grabbed a consolation but Craig Watson’s header rebounded back off the crossbar.

Home boss Darren Young conceded that Arbroath’s clinical finishing was the difference between the two sides.

He said: “Overall, we probably had enough chances to win two games but haven’t managed to score at all.

“Had we taken the lead and Jonny Court’s goal was given then it would have been a different game.

“If we had got one at the start of the second half when we were on top as well then it could have been different. These are all ifs and buts, though.

“The players have played how we asked them in regards to going forward and creating.

“Craig Thomson has done well with his pace and deliveries and Scott Agnew was pulling the strings in the middle of the park.

“There are positives but we need to be more clinical and iron out our mistakes because it’s not good enough.

“What’s good now is that we have a big enough squad so if guys need to go in and others come out then that’ll happen.”

Ryan Wallace put in a man-of-the-match performance.