East Fife 1
Arbroath 3
Scottish League (Second Division)

Match Report

East Fife boss Gordon Durie took his fair share of the blame after watching his side easily taken care of by arbroath on Saturday.

Strikes from Collin Samuel, Liam Caddis and Lee Sibanda eased Arbroath to a comfortable win.

David Muir netted for the Fifers with the last kick of the match.

Boss Durie, whose side still stood a mathematical chance of making the playoffs before the game, said: “We started today with a different system so I have to take responsibility for that.

“There was still something at stake for us so we went with a 3-4-3.

“But the goals we lost were again very disappointing from our point of view which has been the story of our season.”

Arbroath now head into this week’s play-offs with a degree of confidence, and played like a side ready for the challenge.

S a mu e l acted as tormentor in chief, and netted the first from close range after Michael Brown had saved from player-boss Paul Sheerin.

Kieran Mcanespie almost put into his own net in the most bizarre of circumstances when his clearance rebound off his own hand and flew backwards, hitting the crossbar.

The ball fell to Scott Dalziel who couldn’t finish with the goal gaping.

Samuel was again in the thick of it asarbroath went further ahead.

The veteran wa s allowed to burst down the East Fife wing unchallenged before heading into the box where he squared for Caddis.

The midfielder was afforded time by the sleeping Fife backline and he swept his strike past keeper Brown.

The Fifers did create chances of their own during the opening 45, though, with Muir, Ryan Wallace and Craig Johnstone all unlucky.

But Durie’s men failed to hit the heights that their fans know they are capable of, and were reduced to trying to find the net from range.

Steven Campbell saw his well-drilled effort saved by Michae lwhite.

A third goal looked likely as the play swung from end to end, and it was substitute Sibanda who grabbed it when he fired home from close range.

Muir’s consolation came just seconds before the final whistle which blew time on an inconsistent season for the Fifers.

Arbroath boss Sheerin said: “We’re happy to get the win because we haven’t been playing too well.

“Collin Samuel showed what he’s all about for us.

“He’s strong and powerful and the ball just seems to stick to him.”

Match report written by The Courier