The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Bollan says side are ‘up for the challenge’
Manager says win against Clyde proves point to doubters
Six points to play for. Two games to go. One point the difference at the top of the table.
That’s the stats that matter in the tightest of run-ins to decide the League Two title as Forfar Athletic and Arbroath returned to winning ways to screw up the pressure on each other.
Forfar looked far more like the side that have led from the front for almost the entire season as they clinically brushed aside a Clyde side that had been tipped to be a real banana skin.
Having controversially brought in David Goodwillie, who bagged a hattrick in his first game, the Bully Wee were looking to ease their own play-off fears.
But Forfar’s defence superbly marshalled the former Dundee United, Aberdeen and Blackburn striker to nullify his threat with ease.
Manager Gary Bollan said: “After the early season form I think we showed today that we have proved to any doubters we have still got that. We are still up for the fight and the challenge.
“I think some of the individual performances and our play was impressive today. I think from start to finish we dominated the game. We kept quiet players we knew we had to, the likes of David Goodwillie because of the level he has played at and I think he was marshalled extremely well by Tam O’Brien and Michael Travis.
“But throughout the team I don’t think there was a failure. They all played to a very high standard, the standards that we expect of them that we perhaps have not been reaching in recent weeks. We have got to maintain that.”
Forfar started on the offensive and twice Lewis Milne had shots before David Cox set up Gavin Swankie for a chance but he failed to take the shot.
Danny Denholm had a great chance on the quarter-hour mark when Swankie picked him out at the back post but he skied his header high over the bar.
Denholm did far better in the 21st minute when he found the target with a bullet header from the corner of the sixyard box after Jim Lister broke free on the right and sent over a perfect cross.
Forfar doubled their advantage six minutes into the second half when Cox forced the ball home from close range despite a brave scramble on the line by keeper Kyle Gourlay.
Swankie came lose to adding a third on the hour mark but he curled his shot just over the bar.
Chris McLaughlin smashed a shot off the foot of the Clyde post as the home side continued their second half dominance.
And that pressure further paid off in the 78th minute as Tam O’Brien headed home a Swankie corner at the far post to wrap up the points.
After the early season form, I think we showed today that wehave proved to any doubters we have still got that. GARY BOLLAN