Loan star Dylan Carreiro’s double helped Arbroath secure an ultimately comfortable win against Clyde and return to the top of League Two.
The visitors had been making life difficult for themselves against a Bully Wee side reduced to 10 men until the Dundee midfielder took the game by the scruff of the neck.
They had twice led only to see Barry Ferguson’s side battle back despite the loss of Brian McQueen, who picked up two yellow cards before the break.
The Gayfield men were struggling to get in front for a third time until Carreiro intervened, the Canadian scoring two fine goals and picking out Simon Murray to score a thumping fifth.
Carreiro said: “I was buzzing after that first goal. It was a good move and I was delighted to get the shot in at the end.
“Things opened up after that and we used the space well. It was a shame about the result against East Fife but we had to bounce back.”
Clyde started the brighter but Paul McManus headed home a Scott McBride cross to give the Gayfield men the lead on 25 minutes.
It looked like Arbroath would cruise to a win when McQueen was ordered off just two minutes later when he tripped Kevin Nicoll for his second booking.
But Clyde rallied and Scott Ferguson curled home a free-kick from 25 yards nine minutes from the break only for McBride to fire Arbroath ahead for a second time two minutes later.
The Bully Wee then levelled for a second time through Ferguson’s header.
Arbroath stepped up a gear on the restart but were struggling to get their noses in front until Carreiro got on the end of a fine passing move and shot home from 20 yards via the underside of the bar.
He then netted from outside the box for a second time with 13 minutes left before setting up Murray to complete the scoring.
Gayfield assistant manager Todd Lumsden said: “The pace and passing in the second half was terrific and we scored three fantastic goals.”