Solid Lichtie performance grinds out a narrow but deserved win

Slightly strange game this for regular Lichties. We're used to fairly open and highscoring games against Shire - most of those in recent memory have featured at least 5 goals. Instead this was a tight but nor dour affair at one of the best grounds in the league, perhaps our last ever outing if Firs Park gets sold as reputed for 3.5 million
Shire are certainly no mugs but probably low on confidence. They had spells of control in both yesterday which, with a bit of luck, they could have converted. Some ex-lichties were prominent in their side - King, Savage, Brownlie. Still the match reports - BBC, ESPN - were unfair to us saying we `stole' victory. if not comfortable we certainly always looked like the likeliest team.

Arbroath probably deserved it since you felt they had the edge in controlling the game and also a few more chances on goal. After the horrors shows of pre/post festive season, the defence now looks solid. It's only conceded a single goal in the past 4 games. New signings Hill and Rattray both look good quality. Hill was tested for the first time in 4 games here and commanded his box well while his distribution continues to be exceptional. Must also mention Black's energetic role in the front of defence which reduces the control of midfield the opposiiton had in the first half of the season when he was out

Problem is, without Scott's pace and strength from the start, you sometimes wonder where goals will come from? the two starters here Tosh and Brazil put in plenty effort but few openings. Having said that it all worked a treat in the 40th minutes which won the game

Our defence was pinned back for a while and with some space in their half a long ball to Tosh was fed through for Brazil to run on to, power past the defender and smash past the keeper. Other chances were from free kicks, which were generally poor yesterday

Second half talking points were the introduction of loan signing Scott McBride on the hour for Watson,who had done fairly well. He showed some great touches on the ground and in the air, and a nice turn of speed. There was also a glaring miss from Sellars when he hit over from about 2 metres out after Brazil had drawn out the keeper and passed it across. Bryan Scott wasn't introduced until the 77th minute (still not fully fit apparently) and the sizeable travelling support gave the manager stick for delaying so long.

Without that second goal, its never comfortable and Shire went close twice in the closing stages, hitting woodwork at one stage

It looks like the manager has been traumatized by these heavy defeats pre/post Xmas and has made defence the priority. He clearly believes that keeping it as tight as possible at the back gives us a better chance of competing for the play-offs. Certainly the defence looks solid and midfield, with Black, Sellars, Watson all in good form, a more credible proposition with Flyer doing a great job both defensively and supporitng the attack. However something has to give and maybe that'[s why Tosh and razail are the preferred pairing since they are maybe best at `defending from the front'. But it means that up front we are not creating that much apart from freekicks and that's why the Scott option is favoured by fans, while Webster and Reilly seem to have dropped out of contention again so perhaps its' over-cautious.

As long as we can grind out results, fans may accept it. But it may not be that pretty. Still well done Lichties - well-deserved victory yesterday

New signings do well -