It’s not often a team “grinds out” a 3-0 win, but Arbroath boss Paul Sheerin claims that is exactly what his side managed against Albion Rovers.
The Red Lichties moved top of division three after a combination of an early goal and a highly dubious sending off and penalty decision saw them take all three points at Gayfield.
Striker Gavin Swankie put the hosts into the lead against the run of play after just five minutes when a quick give and go in midfield caught the Rovers backline napping.
The visitors dominated possession for the majority of the game and could have netted at least three in the first half, with Robert Love hitting the bar amongst a host of chances.
A 65th-minute flashpoint saw Albion keeper Derek Gaston harshly dismissed for what was judged to have been a foul on Swankie at the edge of the box.
Player/manager Paul Sheerin stepped up to stroke the ball past trialist Derek Barnes, leaving Rovers looking stunned at going two goals down.
Arbroath controlled the game from then on and it was just reward for the industrious Swankie to cap a fine performance with a second goal on 85 minutes, latching on to a chipped through ball from his boss.
Sheerin said, “I’m not very pleased with the performance, to be honest, because we have laboured and I though they were the better team.
“The sending off had a fair bearing on it, but you grind out results and that’s what we have done.
“Goals win games and that’s what we have managed to do and we have got Gavin Swankie up top who is absolutely electric at the moment.”
Albion boss Paul Martin said, “I thought we were really good and I can’t criticise the boys.
“We had the majority of the play and the majority of the chances.
“The decisions that have gone against us have dictated where the points have gone today and I think everybody in the stadium has seen that.”
Arbroath now lead the league by four points, ahead of a chasing pack on level points including Stranraer, Albion and Elgin City.