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COVE RANGERS 2-1 ARBROATH

The side dug deep to secure a first win of the season over Arbroath and claim what could be a massive three points in the battle for promotion. The visitors went in front early on through recent signing Andy Winter and it was not until ten minutes from the end that we finally levelled, Mitch Megginson smashing home his eleventh of the campaign.

We looked the more likely after that, and Ryan Harrington secured the victory with a sweetly-struck drive, his first goal for the club.

With Liam Parker and Will Gillingham still absent, but close to a return, and Quinn Coulson ineligible for selection against his parent club, Paul Hartley named an unchanged starting line-up for the fifth successive match.

It was a cold and blustery start to February as Arbroath kicked-off and both sides enjoyed early attacks, but it was the visitors who were to carve out the lead.

Wilkie clipped the ball forward to Andy WINTER and the striker jinked past Darge and Doyle before curling a low shot beyond Nick Suman into the bottom corner.

We hit back, Findlay Marshall forcing a corner. McAdams punched clear Scully’s delivery and when the ball fell to Adam Emslie, the keeper recovered quickly to clasp his shot.

The Arbroath back-line were standing up well to our promptings, snuffing out the danger as we tried to set Emslie free in behind, and they might have doubled their advantage in the nineteenth minute, Winter shooting wide on the angle after good work by Stewart.

Fraser Fyvie tried to launch our next attack, freeing Ryan Harrington down the left, but Steele was on hand to cut out his dangerous low cross. From the resultant corner, Declan Glass sent a high ball to the back post, but Mikey Doyle’s header lacked power, and was easily saved.

We had a big opening soon after when slack play by Arbroath allowed Dylan Lobban to race into the box. His delivery was inviting, but neither Megginson nor Emslie could apply the finishing touch. The boys kept up the pressure, Mitch laying the ball off for his strike-partner whose twenty-yard effort flew just wide of the right post.

Lobban was a real threat down the right, and after more good play by the youngster, the attack was switched to the left only for Scully to overhit his cross. Dylan was again involved soon after, threading a superb ball down the right for Emslie, but O’Brien got a toe on the ball to divert it to safety.

There was a scare just before the interval, Murray winning a challenge and taking a few steps forward, his well-struck twenty-five yard drive cannoning off the base of Suman’s left post.

The team began the second half on the front foot, and might have equalised when Doyle sent an inviting ball forward. It skimmed off Steele’s head, Adam Emslie collecting and skipping away from a challenge before shooting from a tight angle, his effort flying just wide of the far upright.

There was another opening in the fifty-eighth minute with Adam again at the heart of it, his lay-off finding Marshall whose strike was charged down. Lobban then sent in a dangerous cross, but with Megginson and Scully both trying to get a touch, the Arbroath back-line scrambled the ball away.

Ryan Harrington was next to threaten, finding Mitch Megginson who slipped a clever ball through for Connor Scully to chase down. The midfielder’s delivery was knocked behind by Steele and the subsequent corner cleared.

There was a rare opportunity for Arbroath when substitute McKechnie found himself in space just outside the area, but he dragged his shot well wide.

Megginson was again prominent as we hit back, his pass finding Glass, but Declan’s attempt was blocked and Fraser Fyvie shot over from the rebound.

Then came the dramatic climax to the match.

Adam Emslie’s pace took him clear on the right and when he crossed, Mitch MEGGINSON took a touch before shooting. His effort bounced back off McAdams but fell perfectly for the striker who gleefully hammered it past the keeper.

The team immediately pressed for the winner, Harrington firing in a cross which was cut out by O’Brien at the near post before Megginson and Scully both had efforts repelled in an almighty goalmouth scramble.

It was now backs-to-the-wall for Arbroath as Cove kept up the pressure, and the visitors cracked with just five minutes remaining. Fyvie whipped in a delivery from the right which Steele could only half-clear, the ball running perfectly into the path of Ryan HARRINGTON who caught it sweetly, his low first-time drive arrowing beyond the keeper and into the bottom corner.

Having been a real attacking threat throughout the campaign, and providing a string of chances for others, it was the ideal time for the defender’s first Cove Rangers’ goal.

There were no further scares, the side seeing out the match in a composed and professional manner and moving back up to second place in the process.

COVE RANGERS (4-4-2): Suman; Lobban, Darge, Doyle, Harrington; Fyvie (c), Marshall (Yule 65), Glass (Gaffney 78), Scully; Emslie, Megginson

Substitutes: Demus, Murray, McGrath

Goalscorers: Megginson (80), Harrington (85)

Booked: Gaffney (88)

ARBROATH (4-2-3-1): McAdams; Stewart, Steele, O’Brien (c), Wilkie; Flynn (Gold 71), Stanton; Murray (McKechnie 65), Taylor (Spalding 89), Dow (King 89); Winter

Substitutes: McConnell, Watson

Goalscorers: Winter (7)

Booked: Winter (90)

Referee: Gavin Duncan

Attendance: 758

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