This was Arbroath’s home fixture, played, rather bizarrely, on the astroturf at Crieff High School.
The ‘home’ side got off to the best possible start with a goal in five minutes. Slack defending allowed Lichties striker Dayle Robertson a clear shot at Calum Brodie’s goal and he made no mistake from 10 yards out.
Dundee tried to hit back almost immediately with Scott Mollison racing down the left and sending a ball into the box which caused confusion in the Arbroath defence. Lee Cameron forced a save from Len Wilson before the keeper clutched at a header from Max Avolio.
With the wind at their backs Dundee attacked again and Thomas Carberry saw a long range shot sail inches over the bar.
Mollison then had a 25-yard free kick which went over before Arbroath hit back with a free kick of their own which Scott Adam headed over the bar.
A cross by John Black then saw Cameron head narrowly over and Cameron was then denied by keeper Wilson who dived at his feet.
On the half hour mark Robertson struck again. The Maroons striker was fortunate to get the break of the ball and he gave Brodie no chance from close in.
However, the two-goal lead didn’t last long as, four minutes later Avolio got a touch to a Josh Skelly cross and buried the ball past Wilson.
The Lichties keeper then had three good saves in as many minutes to preserve his side’s lead.
Firstly, He saved point blank from Cameron who had been set up by Carberry. Then, after a superb Cameron solo run, he tipped the striker’s shot round the post, before bringing off another excellent save from John Black.
Arbroath, though, should have made it 3-1 in the final minute of the half, but Brodie brought off a great save from Scott Adam.
HT: Arbroath 2 Dundee 1
Calvin Colquhoun found himself in the ref’s notebook for following up a foul with kicking the ball away.
With the wind at their backs now Arbroath put the Dundee defence under pressure and Brodie had to turn an Adam free kick round the post for a corner.
From the corner kick Pat Smith made it 3-1 to Arbroath when he netted from around 15 yards out.
Coach Gavin Burns then sent on Calum McHardy for Skelly but on 59 minutes Arbroath made it 4-1, Robertson completing his hat-trick when he got his head to an Adam free kick from the right.
The coach immediately introduced Robbie Casey for John Black as Dundee tried to get back into the game. They were almost undone again however, when Brodie, under pressure, couldn’t hold an Arbroath corner and Carberry was forced to kick the ball off the line.
The Young Dees’ last chance came in the 90th minute when Avolio dispossessed an Arbroath defender but he could only shoot weakly at keeper Wilson.
FT: Arbroath 4 Dundee 1
Arbroath: Len Wilson, Pat Smith (Chris Scott 71), Ryan Lewis (Paul Weir 78), Kyle Findlater, Ross Mitchell, Josh Chalmers, Scott Adam, Sam Burnett, Dale Robertson, Pat Martin, Kieran McWalter.
Dundee: Calum Brodie, Sean Gallacher, Scott Mollison, Cammy Black, Jack Neave, John Black (Robbie Casey 60), Max Avolio, Calvin Colquhoun, Josh Skelly (Calum McHardy 57), Thomas Carberry, Lee Cameron.
Report: Jim Davie.
