Arbroath 0-1 Edinburgh City
R.Porteous (90+1)
Top spot for Arbroath? Not after this performance!
Match report by Theo Kyriacou
Arbroath were deservedly beaten 1-0 at home to Edinburgh City after a somewhat poor and rather embarrassing performance. The home side lacked energy, creativity and any real belief that they could win the game. It was a huge chance missed for the home side as, with first placed Forfar losing 1-0 at Montrose, Dick Campbell’s men could have gone two points clear at the top of the table with three games to go.
Arbroath made one change to the side that drew 1-1 at Forfar last Saturday. Gomes was in goal. The back four was made up of Gold at right-back, Sukar, in for Hodge who had pulled up in the warm-up, was at left-back and Little played alongside Hamilton at centre-back. In midfield, Linn and Kader were on the left and right wings and McCord partnered Whatley in central midfield. Up front, Doris played alongside Scott.
Arbroath named five substitutes: Bryan Prunty, Matty Smyth, Gavin Malin, Donald McCallum and Ryan Stewart.
First Half
Arbroath did start the brighter of the two sides and created the first real chance of the match in the 7th minute. Linn managed to bulldoze his way into the box and to set-up Kader but Kader’s shot ballooned well over the bar. It was a poor effort by Kader and one which he really should have done better with.
However, for all Arbroath’s dominance in the first few openings of the game, Edinburgh City came within a whisker of taking the lead. Beattie did brilliantly to cut inside Hamilton and Little and to get into the box. However, Gomes produced a terrific one-handed save to tip the ball round the post and out for a corner.
The final real chance of the half fell to the home side. Sukar switched a lovely ball to Kader, whose cross into the box was cleared but recycled all the way into the path of McCord who was standing on the edge of the area. However, his curling effort went just over the bar.
Half-Time – Arbroath 0-0 Edinburgh City
Second Half
Dick Campbell made an immediate substitution at half-time as Prunty came on in place of Scott. However, if he thought that would swing the match in Arbroath’s favour then he was wrong as the home side went on to display a pathetic performance in the second-half summed up by the fact that they were not able to even muster up a single shot on goal.
Edinburgh City were the dominant and better side for the whole second-half. Right from the start they created chances and were unlucky not to be immediately in front when Allan’s clever effort was well-saved by Gomes. Riordan then found himself in a great position but his shot was feeble and was easily saved by Gomes.
Edinburgh City then made their first substitution as Dunsmore replaced Riordan.
The closest Arbroath came to scoring was in the 71st minute when Linn’s over-hit cross was fumbled by Antell into the path of Prunty but a last-ditch tackle form Porteous prevented him from tapping the ball into an empty net.
However, regardless of the score, arguably one of the worst refereeing decisions of the season was made in today’s game. With Allan chasing down a through ball, Sukar kicked the ball back to Gomes who decided to pick it up. It was a blatantly obvious pass-back. However, the referee Mike Roncone was the only person not to see the blatantly obvious pass-back and didn’t blow for it. It was a huge let-off for Arbroath and really a moment where the goalkeeper’s common sense needs to be brought into question as it was an obvious pass-back by Sukar.
Guthrie then came on in place of Beattie for the visitors.
With Arbroath unable to create anything it was only a matter of time before the visitors broke the deadlock and, after Allan once again saw his effort tipped round the post by Gomes, they did as Porteous managed to scramble the ball into the net from close range in stoppage time to give the visitors a deserved win and to send the away fans into delirium.
Full Time – Arbroath 0-1 Edinburgh City
Arbroath were deservedly beaten today and it was a performance that wasn’t deserving of promotion to League 1. The home side were lacking in every aspect of the game today and once again struggled to score at home. A much better performance is needed next Saturday away at bottom of the table Cowdenbeath if Arbroath want to have any chance of piping Forfar to the league title.
