ANNAN Athletic suffered their third League One defeat on the spin at Gayfield as Arbroath continued their march towards the League One title Crown.
The Red Lichties showed some real quality throughout last Saturday’s contest to win 3-0 on their home patch and leave Athletic just a single point ahead of the relegation play-off spot.
The visitors threatened in the 12th minute as Luca Ross cut inside and whipped a ball into the danger area. But it flew wide of the target after just evading the head of Aidan Smith.
Arbroath started to push forward just after the half hour mark. Following a neat passing move, Ryan Dow crossed the ball low and hard from the left, but his inviting ball had no takers.
Two minutes later Fraser Taylor knocked it in behind for Andy Winter to chase. In behind the Annan defence the forward hit a fierce effort at Jamie Smith who saved well to keep his team level.
Ross continued to look the most likely to make something happen for Athletic. He beat his man down the left before standing up an inviting cross which needed to be headed clear by the home defence.
However, just moments later Annan fell behind to the league leaders. As Dow raced forward he played the ball through to Taylor who slotted home clinically.
The Red Lichties started the second half in the same vein as they finished the first.
Sam Stanton tried his luck from range and it flew narrowly wide of the upright. Dow then headed wide of the other post after getting on the end of a Scott Stewart cross.
Annan’s best chance to level arrived in the 64th minute. Again it stemmed from Ross. He slipped in Josh Dixon who cut the ball back for Aaron Brown inside the box.
After twisting and turning, the Kilmarnock loanee shot low across ‘keeper Aidan McAdams, only for Jack Wilkie to batter the ball clear off the line.
Minutes after Arbroath doubled their lead as Winter headed high into the net following a cross from Wilkie.
With 13 minutes remaining more misery was heaped on the away side as captain Tommy Muir was given his marching orders. He received a second yellow for tripping Winter just inside the box.
Calum Gallagher stepped up to take the spot kick, but Smith guessed correctly and saved to offer Annan a glimmer of hope.
But with ten men, away from home, and up against the quality of Arbroath, the hosts were always going to pile on the pressure.
And when, three minutes from time, the ball dropped kindly for Gallagher six yards out, he made no mistake in finding the corner to add a third for his side late on.
