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ARBROATH 2-1 COVE RANGERS

Despite taking an early lead through on-form top-scorer Mitch Megginson, and dominating after the interval, it was Arbroath who snatched the points at Gayfield, coming from behind before the interval and hanging on resolutely in the second half.

With Liam Parker and Arron Darge still ruled out, there was another injury blow for the team, captain Fraser Fyvie sidelined with a hamstring injury picked up in training on Thursday night. Declan Glass returned to support Mitch Megginson, and with the squad depleted, the manager was able only to name five substitutes.

Cove kicked-off on a cold, blustery afternoon, but it was the home side who threatened first, Wilkie swinging in a cross from the left which Scully had to head behind for a corner.

We countered, Adam Emslie breaking to feed the ball infield, but Glass was flagged offside. In our next attack, Glass got on the end of a Megginson pass and sent in an inviting delivery, but McAdams snatched it before Dylan Lobban could pounce.

The breakthrough was delayed only briefly. Findlay Marshall gathered and switched play down the left where Emslie raced on to the ball. The winger outpaced Bisland towards the bye-line before sending in an inch-perfect delivery, Mitch MEGGINSON finding space at the back post to sidefoot home.

It was the fifth game in a row the striker had scored, just one short of his record during our time in the SPFL.

Arbroath tried to battle back into the game and would have equalised in the sixteenth minute but for the brilliance of Balint Demus. Taylor swung in a corner from the right which Keith Watson met with a bullet header. It looked netbound only for the keeper to pull off an outstanding one-handed save, touching the ball on to the bar before the danger was cleared.

The leveller did however come soon after. Dow delivered a fine cross from the left and Scott STEWART rose highest to send a powerful header into the bottom corner of the net. It was to be his last act, the scorer substituted off after a painful looking head collision with Connor Scully minutes before.

Adam Emslie was causing the home rearguard plenty problems and linked-up well with Glass before Declan fired in a low ball which McAdams pushed behind for a Cove corner. That was cleared only as far as Blair Yule, but his well-struck shot from twenty yards was charged down by the onrushing defence.

The game was swinging from end to end, and Arbroath had the next chance, Taylor threading a pass through for Dow to run on to, but Demus was quickly off his line to make another impressive save. Spalding then flashed the ball across the six yard box, but thankfully there were no takers.

The home side took the lead in the thirty-second minute. Taylor found Gallagher twenty-five yards out, and when Gillingham came out to close him down, the striker nudged the ball into the path of Innes MURRAY who netted with a composed low finish.

Ryan Harrington surged forty yards upfield to set up our next opportunity, passing wide to Adam Emslie. The winger cut infield, but his shot was blocked by Watson, and Megginson fired over from a similar position soon after.

Findlay Marshall then battled hard to win possession in midfield, running away from two opponents before slipping a pass to Declan Glass. The midfielder caught his shot well enough, but McAdams dived to his left to make a decent catch.

The manager was forced into a half-time switch. Connor Scully came off feeling the after-effects of his earlier head-knock and was replaced by Finlay Murray who took over in the middle with Harrington reverting to left-back.

After the restart we put together a series of controlled passing moves but were unable to break through the well-drilled home defence. Emslie forced a corner in the fifty-fifth minute, and Glass’s delivery looked inviting, but McAdams was commanding and punched clear.

Reuben McAllister then came on for Lobban as we kept up the pressure without creating much in the way of clear-cut opportunities. There was a half-chance on the hour mark, Emslie with a powerful low angled effort which the keeper did well to hold.

We continued to dominate possession, but the frustration was growing as the home side held out resolutely. Megginson was next to have a go, shooting past from wide on the left. Doyle then played a delightful ball for Glass to run on to and when the cross came in, Marshall was all set to shoot only for Spalding to make a vital interception.

In a bid to tighten things up, Arbroath brought on Slater for Taylor, and in a rare foray forward they immediately won a corner, Blair Yule with an important header to avert the danger.

In our next attack, Yule did well to win the ball, playing it to Megginson who flicked on for Glass to run on to and cross. Under pressure, Marshall was unable to convert from ten yards, the ball spinning wide of the left post.

Dow then threatened for Arbroath, running clear into the area and shooting, but Demus beat away his angled effort. Play raged up the other end and Emslie suddenly appeared on the right to feed in Megginson, but as he attempted to turn, the striker lost his footing, and the chance was gone.

Paul Hartley threw on Myles Gaffney and Grady McGrath for Glass and Marshall in all-out bid to get the equaliser. As we pushed, Mitch Megginson required lengthy treatment after a crude challenge by Slater, and from McAllister’s resultant free-kick, Gillingham, on the stretch, could only head over.

That was to be the last opening we would create, and despite dominating the second half, and playing some excellent football, we fell to a second straight defeat, dropping down to fifth, but still just two points off the top of the table.

ARBROATH (4-2-3-1): McAdams; Bisland, Watson, O’Brien (c) (Sinclair 46), Wilkie; Flynn, Spalding (Gold 87); Stewart (Murray 22), Dow, Taylor (Slater 70); Gallagher (Reilly 46)

Substitutes: McConnell, Callaghan, Coulson

Goalscorers: Stewart (18), Murray (32)

Booked: Flynn (72), Slater (82), Watson (90)

COVE RANGERS (4-2-3-1): Demus; Doyle (c), Gillingham, Harrington, Scully (Murray 46); Yule, Marshall (Gaffney 81); Lobban (McAllister 58), Glass (McGrath 81), Emslie; Megginson

Substitutes: Suman

Goalscorers: Megginson (5)

Booked: Yule (29), Glass (38), Harrington (90)

Referee: Ryan Lee

Attendance: 1,278

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