A point each was a fair result in this Angus derby, for if either Forfar Athletic or Arbroath had left Station Park with nothing to show for the horrendous conditions they had endured it would have been cruel in the extreme.
Saturday’s howling gales and lashing rain threatened to make a mockery of the game so full credit should go to the players, who gave their all in as terrible conditions as have been seen for many a year.
Hats off, too, to both sets of supporters in the 609-strong crowd which braved the elements to back their favourites, a fact not lost on either manager.
If either side could feel aggrieved at not taking maximum points from the encounter, it would probably be Arbroath by a whisker. The Red Lichties belied their lowly league placing and matched a Forfar side who have now only lost once in their last 10 outings and that was to Rangers at Ibrox.
Forfar boss Dick Campbell admitted he could have had no complaints had the game never even been played.
“I don’t think it should have started to be honest. It is ridiculous asking people to stand and watch that never mind play in it. Even six or seven rows back in the stand it was sailing with water.
“I thought neither team deserved to lose and no one deserved to win. Both sides put in a great effort and no one deserved to lose after that.”
Campbell had a lot of sympathy for the visitors for the late red card shown to Graham Bayne just nine minutes after his introduction as a substitute.
“I don’t think that was a sending off. It was harsh,” he said.
Arbroath had all the early pressure and player-manager Paul Sheerin flashed a couple of fierce shots over the cross bar. Bobby Linn also went close with a dangerous free kick and Michael Travis powered a header just over the bar.
Sheerin then set up Steven Doris for a brilliantly executed overhead kick that was only just over the bar.
But it was Forfar who went ahead just two minutes after the interval. Martyn Fotheringham sent over a corner which Chris Templeman knocked down for Paul McManus to bundle over the line.
Arbroath fought back and Alan Cook had a handful of long-range efforts that forced Rab Douglas into fine blocks. But the big keeper was not near one thunderbolt from Cook that crashed off the cross bar before being cleared.
Arbroath deservedly levelled in the 83rd minute when Travis got the final touch to a Linn corner in a crowded box and the ball was scrambled over the line.
With just a couple of minutes left, sub Bayne was sent off after a clash with Darren Dodds. It looked harsh but in the letter of the law the Arbroath man raised his hands and had to walk.
Arbroath manager Sheerin agreed that his side might have just edged it but conceded that a point was fair.
“We played better today. The application and effort, which was not lacking before, was there. Ultimately, I think we maybe deserved even more than a point.
“In spells I thought we did OK today, we didn’t really have any clear cut efforts, a few long-range things. It wasn’t nice out there, I feel for the fans today.
“It couldn’t have been easy, particularly for our supporters who are not having the best of times. So it was good to see a few of them in there offering us their backing.
“We have a hardcore of fans backing us through thick and thin, so the goal gave us all a lift.”