Abroath Too Strong For Gowfers

After a 3-0 victory over amateur side Carnoustie YM the previous week, the Gowfers were in confident mood for the visit of the Lichites.

Regular goalkeeper Jim Butter was back between the posts, and James Collier, having returned from holiday, also found a place in the Gowfers starting line-up.

From the kick-off, Arbroath pushed forward and won a throw-in up the right. Rennie hurled the ball deep into the Carnoustie box where it was headed clear by Wilkie.

As the home side then mounted their first attack, Graham was fouled by Rennie 40 yards out. Conway's free kick was touched over the bar by Peat for a corner.

Carnoustie came close to opening the scoring when Conway's flag kick fell to Russell at the far post, but the ex-Montrose man's shot was blocked and cleared away by Masson.

Shortly afterwards, a great cross-field pass from Masson put Watson in the clear, but he fired high over the bar.

The home side had another scare when Voigt almost reached an Ogilvie headed passback, but Butter managed to block the ball away for a corner, which was cleared by Narey.

A snap shot by Martin almost caught the Gowfers napping, but his 20 yard strike flashed just wide of the right-hand post.

Arbroath continued to do most of the pressing and after dispossessing Graham on the halfway line, Masson played a great pass through to Voigt, but from the edge of the box he shot past.

In their next attack, the Lichties forced a corner on the right, but Watson's cross was headed clear by Maher, back helping his defence.

At the other end, Graham rose well to meet a Conway corner, but his header lacked direction and skidded past the post.

Arbroath again came close to opening the scoring when a Watson cross from the left found Masson on his own at the far post, but he shot wide when he should have done better.

In 24 minutes, a McCulloch rasping drive from 25 yards was touched over the bar by Butter for a corner on the left. A second corner followed, this time on the right, and Watson's cross picked out the unmarked RAESIDE, who headed home at the back post, giving Butter no chance.

Shortly after the Lichties had taken the lead, Conway and Dobbins were involved in a midfield fracas and were both spoken to by the referee.

Carnoustie almost got back on level terms when a Russell free kick 40 yards out on the right was met by Collier, who powerful header from 12 yards was only just too high, with Peat beaten.

After that scare, Arbroath pushed forward once more and doubled their lead in 31 minutes.

McCulloch took a free kick 35 yards out on the left and found SELLARS, whose downwards header from 10 yards out struck the bottom of Butter's left-hand post and rolled over the line, with the keeper just failing to get to the ball.

Rennie kept the pressue on the Gowfers goal with a good run up the right. His cross into the box was met by VOIGT who turned the ball home from six yards to put the Lichties 3-0 up.

Minutes later, it was almost four when Sellars collected a Martin knock-down at the edge of the box and unleashed a fierce drive inches wide of Butter's right-hand post.

Smith then tried a long-range drive for Carnoustie, which had Peat scrambling across his goal as the ball flashed narrowly past.

On the stroke of half-time, Voigt made a good turn at the edge of the box, but his shot was too high and went over the top.

Half-time: Carnoustie Panmure 0 Arbroath FC 3

Carnoustie made two changes for the second half, Buick and trialist Warren replacing Smith and Maher.

Within two minutes of the restart, Arbroath netted a fourth through VOIGT, who picked up a loose ball and fired home from close-in, beating Butter all ends up.

Despite the setback, Carnoustie kept plugging away and forced a corner on the right. Graham got on the end of Russell's cross, but headed past.

In 58 minutes, the Lichites made a double substitution, Stein and Zannoni going on for Masson and Watson.

Good play by Warren created an opening for Carnoustie, but Conway's shot, although powerful enough, was too direct and went straight to Peat.

Arbroath made another change in 63 minutes, Voigt going off to be replaced by Reilly.

Two minutes later, Narey went off for Carnoustie and trialist McBride came on in his place.

In 72 minutes, Henderson replaced Martin for the Lichties.

Abroath pushed forward once more and forced a corner on the right. This was taken by Stein, but Wilkie rose above everyone to head clear.

Carnoustie thought they had pulled a goal back in 79 minutes. Collier was obstructed on the edge of the box by Bishop and Conway curled the resultant free kick over the defensive wall and past Peat into the net. The kick, however, had been indirect and as no-one touched the ball before it entered the net, the goal was disallowed.

Right on the final whislte, Stein got on the end of a deep cross from the left by Zannoni, but screwed his shot wide of the target, thus denying the Lichties a nap hand.

Line-Ups:

Carnoustie Panmure : Butter, Miller, Graham, Ogilvie, Wilkie, Narey, Russell, Smith, Collier, Conway, Maher.

Substitutes : Buick, Warren, Webster, McBride, Brand

Arbroath FC : Peat, Rennie, McCulloch, Raeside, Bishop, Dobbins, Masson, Sellars, Martin, Voigt, Watson.

Substitutes : Reilly, Henderson, Stein, Kirk, Zannoni, Cargill

Referee, N.Watters, Montrose