Campbell pleased with performance

Arbroath had to contend with a Cowdenbeath fightback to stay locked in the battle with Forfar Athletic for the Ladbrokes League 2 title and automatic promotion.

The Lichties had looked comfortable after an hour, being two up, but the bottom of the table Fifers pulled one back and then gave the visitors a few scares in the closing minutes.

Arbroath, who are one point behind Forfar, took the lead on 21 minutes when Ryan McCord deftly stroked a free-kick into the path of Steven Doris and he made no mistake from 10 yards.

Three minutes after the break the midfielder’s 12-yarder took a deflection to give home keeper Jamie Sneddon no chance.

But in the 61st minute Blue Brazil skipper Scott Rumsby headed home a Shaun Rutherford corner and it was game on.

Both sides had chances, with Bobby Linn being denied by Sneddon and Cowden’s David Syme seeing Ricky Gomes holding his fierce drive.

Arbroath gaffer Dick Campbell hailed a ‘very professional performance’ from his team.

“We knew that this would be a very hard game for Cowdenbeath are battling to avoid the relegation play-offs and I felt we handled the game well,” he said.

“I am pleased to get away from Cowdenbeath with the three points and I know that Forfar will not find it easy here next week.”

Cowden are still bottom on 33 points, with Clyde and Berwick on 36, and these two meet on Saturday with the Blue Brazil entertaining Forfar.

Cowden manager Gary Locke felt that the goals his side conceded were avoidable.

He said: “The first-half performance was way below what we had produced in the previous three games and the first goal was a bad one from our point of view.”

He added: “Perhaps the chance David Syme had was the sort that you want one of your strikers to get but at least he worked the keeper and overall we gave one of the best team’s in the division a run for their money.”