The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Arbroath pull further clear at top of League One as Raith Rovers suffer another blow
ARBROATH: Gayfield men take advantage of Raith Rovers slip-up
STENHOUSEMUIR 1 ARBROATH 4
Arbroath’s march to League 1 title success goes on with a comprehensive victory over bottom side Stenhousemuir made even more joyous with the news that rivals Raith Rovers had again dropped more points.
The return of boss Dick Campbell to the dugout after an eight-match ban coincided with one of the team’s best performances of an outstandingly successful season to date.
Two goals each from Bobby Linn and Ryan Wallace saw the Gayfield outfit go 13 points clear of the men from Kirkcaldy, who were held at Airdrie.
Assistant boss Ian Campbell, who was delighted with the performance of debutant Liam Donnelly – the club’s new signing from Stranraer in midweek – hailed the victory.
He said: “It was well taken goals from our point of view. The first half was tight but at the same time we got ourselves together second half and the football was first class”
Linn opened the scoring for the visitors in the fourth minute when he met a Danny Denholm cross with superb technique to fire home from an acute angle.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 when Wallace created an opening for himself with a timed run before dispatching the ball past Lewis Minn.
Stenny’s leading goalscorer, Mark McGuigan, gave the home side a lifeline when he reduced the deficit after an Arbroath clearance fell into his path and he hit a first-time effort home.
A minute later Alan Cook smashed an effort off the post as the Warriors grew in confidence.
However, the half-time interval came too quickly for the home side.
Colin Hamilton struck the crossbar with a header in the 51st minute that bounced down on to the goal-line and although Arbroath were disappointed not to be awarded the goal they didn’t have to wait more than a minute before their third when Wallace scored his second goal.
That effectively ended the game but Linn was to have the final say when his corner went into the net though a Stenhousemuir player may have got a touch, with the former East Fife and Dundee winger rightly claiming the goal – his 16th in the league this season.
Linn was delighted to see Dick Campbell’s men extend their lead at the top as they set their sights on a second trophy success in three seasons.
“I thought we started excellently then we let them get in the game,” he said.
“We got to half-time thankfully, when the gaffer gives us a roasting, we come out second half and were worthy winners.
“In the summer I went away and looked at myself to see if I could get fitter and took up boxing and that helped me. As a team we have progressed under the manager .”