Forfar Athletic climbed to top of League One on goal difference from Ayr United after beating Angus rivals Brechin at rain-battered Glebe Park.
A delighted Loons manager Dick Campbell said that all that mattered was getting three points in the bag.
Campbell said: “It wasn’t the best football I have ever seen in a local derby. Brechin are not getting the breaks at the moment. I don’t think their keeper touched the ball with his hands until he picked it out of the net.
“I had a full squad available this week after having four men missing last week and the difference was obvious as we had strength on the bench.
“I went with Derek Young up front to help young Lewis Allan and he came up with a goal.
“We were magnificent in the second half and could have scored a couple more. We are back on top of the league but we are not playing the way we can.
“Darren Dods is a good friend of everyone at Forfar, but we had to be professional and look after ourselves. We haven’t got it right yet in terms of our strikers. I do not know my best pairing and that is a good position to be in.
“Martyn Fotheringham made the first goal superbly, but he had been booked so I took him off at half-time. Young Andrew Black went on and enjoyed himself and overall I am very happy.”
Brechin were quick out of the blocks and might have scored on five minutes when Darren McCormack headed just wide from a Willie Dyer free-kick.
The home side had the best of the opening half-hour and a Dyer free-kick was deflected over, then Andy Jackson had a header saved by Scott Gallacher from a Craig Molloy free-kick.
Forfar grabbed the lead on 36 minutes in their first real attack. Fotheringham burst into the box and his cross was headed home by the diving Young.
Forfar made it 2-0 four minutes into the second half when a shot from Black was deflected into the net by Omar Kader with Brechin looking in vain for offside.
The visitors looked for more and a fierce shot from Bryan Hodge was saved by Graeme Smith.
Brechin needed a goal to give themselves hope and they almost got it on 58 minutes. Dyer chipped in a free-kick and a header from Jackson was tipped on to the bar by Gallacher.
On 67 minutes, David Weatherston shot just wide from the edge of the box.
Forfar held on comfortably and might have added to their tally in the closing stages. On 85 minutes an Iain Campbell free-kick went just over, then three minutes later, Danny Denholm volleyed against the post.