Stenhousemuir 1 Arbroath 2

Last updated : 23 September 2006 By Footymad Previewer
Arbroath moved into second place after ending Stenhousemuir's unbeaten home run with a 2-1 victory at Ochilview.

It was no more than the Red Lichties deserved, as they were the more threatening side for most of the game.

Arbroath created the better chances but it was Stenhousemuir who should have opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Ian McSween was released by David Templeton, with the visitors awaiting an offside decision.

McSween hesitated, but it still needed a superb one-handed stop by Mark Peat to keep the score level.

Arbroath took the lead four minutes later from the penalty spot when Paul Murphy was adjudged to have pulled Steven Rennie's shorts at a set-piece. Willie Martin sent the spot-kick into the roof of the net.

It looked a soft decision and the Arbroath supporters, who were only yards away from the incident, seemed as shocked about the award as the Stenhousemuir players.

The visitors went further ahead in the 54th minute through Barry Sellars, when he picked up a Marc McCulloch pass in the box and swivelled before dispatching the ball into the net.

Stenhousemuir made a double substitution shortly afterwards and it paid instant dividends when Iain Diack scored within two minutes of coming onto the pitch, bundling the ball over the line after Peat had made a superb reaction save.

Four minutes later another Templeton cross picked out Brian McLaughlin and the sub's header across goal was met by Diack, who fired narrowly wide.

This was the closest the hosts got to an equaliser as Arbroath looked the more dangerous, while Stenhousemuir's tale of woe was compounded when Des McKeown was sent to the stand for comments made to the assistant referee.