Stalemate in Highlands leaves all to play for at Gayfield
Arbroath held Inverness to a goalless draw in the Highlands to set up a huge night of action at Gayfield on Friday.
Dick Campbell’s cinch Championship runners-up had the better of the opening half but Caley Thistle improved and Logan Chalmers came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first leg of the premier ship play off semi-final.
Arbroath fans hailed their team after the final whistle and will be optimistic ahead of the second leg – their team’s last home defeat in the league came last july, although it was against Caley Thistle.
Inverness came into the game on a high after winning eight of their last 10 matches, but Arbroath harried them into mistakes and created some decent early chances. Jack Hamilton’s header set up Michael Mckenna but the attacker could not get over the top of the ball and fired over in mid-air.
Several Nicky Low set-pieces caused problems in the home defence and the ex-aberdeen player forced a decent stop with a direct effort from a free-kick.
Inverness improved towards the end of the half and Chalmers hit the bar with a powerful 25-yard effort. The on-loan Dundee United winger had an easier chance 20 minutes into the second half. Robbie Deas burst forward from central defence and played in Chalmers, who emerged from a challenge with the ball but steered a shot just beyond the far post.
Sean Welsh then sent a ball over the top to find Austin Samuels in the left channel but the forward’s bouncing strike was pushed wide by Derek Gaston.
The home side kept pushing. Aaron Doran volleyed over from the edge of the box, while Kirk Broadfoot headed over from close range after beating Gaston to Reece Mcalear’s corner.
Arbroath settled following the flurry of chances and saw out the game.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh City are on the cusp of promotion to League One after a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Anna na ta ins lie park in the first leg of the play-off final.
Second-half strikes from Inn es Murray and RyanSh an leyhavegi vent he citizens some breathing space ahead of the second leg at Galabank on Friday.
City were fast out of the traps and danny handling rattled the cross bar with an effort from the edge of the 18-yard box in the ninth minute before Ouzy See's header hit the woodwork for a second time in the 25th minute after goalkeeper Greg Fleming had parried a powerful Callum Crane strike from a tight angle.
Murray, on-loan from Hibs, came close to seeing the net bulge with his 20-yard effort that flew just wide of the far post.
Annan produced their first shot on target a minute after the restart, but Brian Schwake was equal to Owen Moxon's strike from 18 yards.
City deservedly went ahead moments later when Murray latched onto an incisive pass from on-loan Hearts midfieldercam my logan, before calmly lifting the ball over the advanced Fleming and into the net.
The visitors had the wind knocked out of their sails in the 62nd minute with a stunning piece of skill from Shanley. The 21-year-old drew a foul from Dominic Docherty and from the resulting set-piece curled a magnificent effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards.