Arbroath miss chance to boost play-off hopes

Arbroath missed the chance to edge closer to a promotion play-off spot as they were held to a goal-less draw by bottom dogs East Stirlingshire.

The Angus side failed to find a way past Shire and are now six points adrift of fourth-placed Annan, having played a game more.

Todd Lumsden’s side started on the front foot. Arbroath took the game to the Shire from the kick-off, with Jordan Lowdon involved in almost everything.

Lowdon’s third-minute corner was headed over from six yards by Grant Munro.

Lowdon then set up Jamie Reid, whose low 25-yard strike was smothered by visiting keeper Richard Barnard.

At the other end, Scott Ferries met a Michael McMullin cross to stab wide from six yards.

Kane Hester then missed from a similar range as Barnard parried a Bobby Linn cross straight into his path.

Linn was then the architect as he sent Lowdon clear, but the midfielder shot over from 15 yards.

Arbroath continued to press before the break, with Shaun Rutherford curling a 20-yard freekick wide and Lowdon’s 15-yard strike bouncing the wrong side of the post.

The hosts kept up the pressure after the break, and Reid flashed a drive wide from 20 yards.

McMullin then jinked past Rutherford before curling an 18-yard strike into the hands of Allan Fleming.

The game then descended into a scrappy midfield battle with neither side finding the cutting edge to create a winner. Attendance: 334.

Arbroath: Fleming; Wilson, Rutherford (Ramsay 60) Little, Munro, Whatley, Linn, Alvarez (Stewart 69) , Hester, Reid (Skelly 69), Lowdon. Subs: Brodie; Williams.

East Stirlingshire: Barnard; Greene, Donaldson, Townsley, Fisher, Lynas, Ferries, McCabe, Orr (Russell 67), Faulds (McKenna 67), McMullin (McMillan 87). Subs: Dolan; Kinnaird, Kay, Cairnie.

Referee: Scott Millar.