Arbroath cruised to a comfortable SPFL Trust Trophy win over 10-man Inverness to make it three victories on the spin.
Lichties dominated from start to finish and, in truth, could have won far more convincingly than 4-2.
Strikes from David Gold, Tam O’Brien, Scott Stewart and Aaron Steele ensured an Adam Brooks and Lewis Hyde efforts were mere consolations.
Lichties sailed into the fourth round with a performance of real promise.
Inverness played the final half an hour a man down, after sub Harry Lodovica was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Michael McKenna – a minute after coming on.
Arbroath shuffle pack v Inverness
Arbroath made four changes to the side that beat Ayr United last week.
In came Ali Adams, Joao Balde, Keaghan Jacobs and Jermaine Hylton.
Derek Gaston, Ryan Dow, Craig Slater and Jay Bird, injured against Ayr, dropped out.
Arbroath forced much of the early play with Hylton twice coming close in the opening 11 minutes.
Firstly, on two minutes, he raced onto a defence-splitting 40-yard Aaron Steele pass to go one-on-one with keeper Cameron MacKay.
Hylton lifted it over MacKay but didn’t get enough purchase on his effort and the chance was lost.
Nine minutes later Hylton danced past Keith Bray on the byline only to fire into the side net.
Kenan Dunnwald-Turan then missed two chances for the hosts with MacKay saving one with his legs and the other going over.
And the goal their play richly deserved came on 34 minutes.
Hylton skipped past Wallace Duffy and his low ball into the six yard box was finished off by Gold.
𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃!
34' – Hylton gambles on a long ball and squares it across the box where Gold is waiting and smashes the ball home!
1-0 to Arbroath!
(1-0) #AbroathFCLive #MonTheLichties pic.twitter.com/Y8pCzXAdoR
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) September 9, 2023
And it could have been 2-0 moments later as a superb three-man move involving Michael McKenna, Hylton and Turan resulted in the German striker having a header saved by MacKay.
Lichties doubled their lead on 41 minutes as skipper O’Brien fired in at the second attempt from a Michael McKenna corner.
But their lead was cut back before the break as Brooks drilled home from 15 yards after superb wing play by Luis Longstaff.
Arbroath ease past 10-man Inverness
𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐑𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐓𝐇!!!
84' – A fourth for Arbroath in the 84th minute as Steele bravely contests a Mckenna Freekick and volley's the ball into the net for his first goal in maroon and white!
(4-1) #ArbroathFCLive #MonTheLichties pic.twitter.com/82Df3HwKgN
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) September 9, 2023
O’Brien almost restored Arbroath’s advantage on 53 minutes as he got on the end of a McKenna free-kick only for his header to be smothered by MacKay.
Aaron Doran posted a warning to Arbroath at the other end as he hit the bar.
But the visitors were then reduced to 10-men in 63 minutes.
Sub Lodovica – who was on the park for just 60 seconds – was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Michael McKenna.
Arbroath made their extra man count with Scott Stewart adding their third with a stunning half-volley.
And Steele sealed it late on from close range before sub Jess Norey hit the post.
Arbroath team v Inverness
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐩
The Gaffer makes four changes to the starting line up this week with Adams replacing Gaston in goals and Jacobs, Hylton and Baldé starting in place of Slater, Dow and the injured Bird.#MonTheLichties #ArbroathFCLive pic.twitter.com/eLAKROyJFF
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) September 9, 2023
Arbroath: Adams 7 Steele 8 Stewart 8 Little 7 O’Brien 8 Balde 6 (Dow 57, 4) Gold (Norey 80, 3), Jacobs 7 (Slater 71, 4) McKenna 7, Turan 7 (McIntosh 71, 4), Hylton (Stowe 71, 4). Subs: Gaston.
Arbroath Player of the Match – Jermaine Hylton
Hylton was the matchwinner for Arbroath last week and he looked in the mood all afternoon against Inverness.
His clever flicks and wing play was at the heart of almost everything the Angus side created.
Conversation