A Jack Hamilton hat-trick saw off junior side Darvel in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup as Arbroath ran out comfortable winners.
The Gayfield encounter was the first ever meeting between the two sides and it took Dick Campbell’s men 28 minutes to make a breakthrough.
New strike pairing of Craig Wighton and Jack Hamilton combined expertly with the on loan Livi forward breaking the deadlock.
Hamilton added a second to his tally mid way through the second half, nodding in from close range.
He then completed his hat-trick in the closing minutes sliding in to convert a Luke Donnelly cross.
Changes
Arbroath were forced in to a couple of changes with Nicky Low and David Gold missing out through injury.
Arbroath vs Darvel – Team News
Craig Wighton and Michael McKenna come into the team for Nicky Low and Luke Donnelly with Dylan Paterson returning to the bench after his loan spell ended. David Gold and Nicky Low are the only absentees.
C'mon the Lichties pic.twitter.com/5AVXY3Exbo
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) January 22, 2022
They welcomed top scorer Michael McKenna back into the line up after a week out. Forward Craig Wighton also started up top alongside Hamilton.
First half
The visitors started the game on the front foot with their three forwards David Galt, Scott Ferguson and Jordan Allan looking a threat to Arbroath’s back line.
The Lichties had to be patient with little clear-cut chances created until around the 20th minute.
Michael McKenna and Scott Stewart worked up a short corner but the ball into the box was headed wide by Jack Hamilton.
Craig Wighton had a glorious chance on 26 minutes. Darvel tried to play a short goal kick, but Liam Henderson regained the ball and played into the on-loan Dunfermline striker, but his shot was wide of the target.
The first real moment of magic came two minutes later. Wighton picked up the ball in the Arbroath half and drove forward. He played a sublime pass with the outside of his right foot which found Hamilton. Hamilton then beat his defender and fired home from the edge of the box.
It was a deserved lead from Arbroath but they almost lost it straight away. A dangerous cross from Andrew Stirling was flashed right across the face of goal. Any touch would have made it 1-1 but no one could get on the end of it.
The home side had a couple more chances but went into half time with just the one goal lead.
Second half
The second half started much as the first ended with Arbroath dictating much of the play.
Their first real chance of the second half fell to Colin Hamilton. The leftback cut inside and curled a right footed shot towards the top corner but was denied by Chris Truesdale in the Darvel goal.
The partnership of Wighton and Hamilton started to show signs of real promise with both strikers having shots at goal with the visitor’s keeper again called into action.
Arbroath introduced veteran Bobby Linn on 67 minutes and he made an instant impact setting up his side’s second of the afternoon.
The 36-year-old twisted his man inside and out on the edge of the box, making space to whip in a cross which was headed in by Hamilton.
The home side continued to chip away at Darvel with James Craigen and Luke Donnelly coming close.
In the dying moments, Hamilton completed his hat-trick after sliding in at the far post to convert a Luke Donnelly cross.
The hat-trick was a just reward for Hamilton and saw Arbroath into the fifth round draw.
