Progression to the next round is everything in cup competitions and Forfar Athletic manager Dick Campbell expressed his satisfaction at mission accomplished after the Loons beat East Fife 2-1 at Station Park.
The Ramsdens Cup first round tie was entertaining enough, with Forfar doing just enough to edge past the 10 men of East Fife.
Goals from Omar Kader and Stuart Malcolm for Forfar were enough to see the home side through against the Fifers, who netted with a Liam Buchanan penalty and had Gary Thom sent off for a nasty challenge midway through the second half.
Campbell was pleased overall with his team’s showing.
“We started the game really well and up until they scored I don’t think they had a shot on goal. We limited them to sporadic attacks so I am pleased with how we looked defensively.
“We did let a silly penalty in but the idea in cup competitions is to progress and get through to the next round. So I am pleased that is what we have done.
“Perhaps we could have been more clinical in the second half as we had numerous chances to score. But don’t forget we had seven players missing today, all of whom will be considered for selection.
“Overall I am reasonably happy. It was a good test to start with East Fife. They have spent a lot of money on players. I am reasonably happy with that.”
Forfar started the game well and after a couple of early chances the breakthrough came in the 24th minute when Kader pounced on Thom’s hesitation at the back and clipped a shot over keeper Michael Andrews from 12 yards.
It was 2-0 four minutes later when Martyn Fotheringham floated a free kick in from the right and Malcolm stole in at the back to side foot home from six yards for his first goal for Forfar since returning to the club from Arbroath.
East Fife were not out of it, however, and it took a brilliant save from keeper Darren Hill to deny Johnny Stewart.
Hill was caught out in the 36th minute when he pulled down Liam Buchanan in the box, escaping with just a yellow card, but he could not stop Buchanan tucking home the penalty.
East Fife manager Willie Aitchison said: “Sometimes you need to just keep things simple and that is what cost us the first goal.
“It is frustrating as we started the pre-season really well and had a lot of tough games. Forfar are the first team from our level we have faced so it is disappointing to see the defence that has done so well be so sloppy.”