Smokies Smoke Sloppy Jags

After a minutes applause for three former Arbroath players in left back Tommy Hughes, striker Billy Pirie and keeper Gordon Marshall, the game got under way on a bright afternoon at the Greenversity Stadium at Gayfield. An even opening saw Alfie Bavidge pass up an early opportunity from a long ball forward from Remi Savage and another saved by McAdams. Moments later Scott Stewart was denied by the legs of Inverness keeper Musa Dibaga as he bore down on goal from the right side of the box after fifteen minutes, the ball spinning wide for a corner. An inviting free kick from Fraser Taylor curled nicely onto the boot of Aaron Steele six yards out as he opened the scoring on his return to Arbroath. He got on the end of the free kick to guide the ball behind Dibaga in the twenty-fifth minute. Arbroath had been looking for the chance to win a penalty kick and the ref duly obliged a few minutes before the interval when the lead was doubled from the spot. Andy Winters scored his second goal since coming in from Livingston, the ball going in off the post. Remi Savage was deemed the culprit in a handball incident wide left inside the box when he really could not do anything about it. Harsh decision to award the penalty. That spurred the Lichties on just before the break and Savage was booked moments later thwarting another surge down the Arbroath right. From another curling Taylor free kick Dibaga pulled off a tremendous diving save to his right to tip the ball behind for a corner from Stewart's header, possibly shaving the post on the way out. On the stroke of half time Taylor almost got on the scoresheet but he was denied as Dibaga spread himself well on the goalline to block the ball away to safety.  Into the second half with Billy Mckay replacing Alfie Stewart and it would be an uphill task thereafter. Mckay did bounce a trundler off the post on the hour but he would be subbed himself before the end. The rout was complete after seventy minutes when Fraser Taylor slipped substitute Ryan Dow through and he slipped the ball past Dibaga to end the scoring. Game over!

FULL TIME: 3-0
We've had better days to be honest. We were smoked by the smokies today with Arbroath making the most of their opportunities whilst we mainly failed to make the keeper work too hard to earn his corn. By the end of the game the Eagle had been subdued...

Mantis on CTO: That’s the first time this season I’ve seen us comprehensively hammered. Arbroath are the best side I’ve seen, quite physical in defence and midfield and quick on the break. They’ve added the boy Penman on loan from St. Mirren and Sam Stanton from Raith. Mind you, we were the better side for the first 25 till they scored from a set piece. 

Highlights from Arbroath FC TV (minus our better opportunities)

Cove play Montrose this Tuesday night.

Great overview from Naelifts on CTO: Only my second game this season. Always a pleasure going to Gayfield. They seem to have done quite a lot of work around the ground. The weather was merciful as we know what it can be like there. A sound start, moving the ball well for the first quarter. 3 extravagant 70 yard crossfield passes all hit Longstaff and on the third occasion he bore down on goal only to be foiled by a good block. Prior to that Bavidge's first touch was sublime before he poked the ball just wide of the advancing keeper. Arbroath took the lead against the run of play and a quick second in effect put the game to bed. Two good saves kept us in touch in theory before half time. Arbroath were tenacious in midfield and fast to break and after half time we weren't at the races. You could argue that Billy unluckily hitting the post could have breathed new life into the team but, in reality, we were outplayed by a superior team. For the home side their Luca Modric ( 5' 5"?) like number 14 buzzed around the park linking play and he impressed. 248 Caley souls was a great turn out. For me, Arbroath go up and we must buckle down and try to maintain Div 1 status. Any talk of play offs is fanciful.

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