Arbroath’s title dream is over after Kilmarnock clinched the Championship title with a late 2-1 win in Ayrshire.
An early goal from James Craigen shocked the home side on 10 minutes but the Lichties ran out of steam in the second half before conceding two heart-breaking late goals.
It was just a fifth defeat of the season for the Lichties, but the victory for Derek McInnes’ men puts them four points ahead at the top with just one game to play.
The fact the only part-time team have chased Killie, with the biggest budget in the division, to the penultimate game of the campaign is a remarkable achievement.
And the Angus side still have another shot at reaching the Premiership via the play-offs after an incredible season, which has exceeded all expectations.
Dick Campbell made two changes to the side that thumped Queen of the South 5-1 last weekend.
Liam Henderson dropped to the bench while Dale Hilson missed out through injury. James Craigen and Luke Donnelly started in their place.
Home crowd stunned
Unlike the previous week, Arbroath started in the ascendancy with Nicky Low winning a corner within the first minute.
The visitors were roared on early doors by a huge travelling support as keeper Zach Hemming fluffed his lines, with Jack Hamilton unable to capitalise.
It looked like Killie were the more nervy of the two sides, with forward Kyle Lafferty stepping in to tell his teammates to calm down.
And it was the Northern Irishman who had the first real chance of the game when his shot from 12 yards was saved by Derek Gaston.
Yet, if Killie thought they were getting a foothold in the game, they were very wrong.
The Lichties burst up the field on the counter attack, with Scott Stewart and Luke Donnelly linking up well on the right wing.
Stewart cut a ball in from the by line which was missed by Jack Hamilton, but James Craigen was there to nudge the ball over the line to give the Lichties the lead.
The strike sent the away fans and bench into raptures but left the home support stunned.
Killie didn’t seem to know how to react to the goal and continued to struggle against Arbroath’s counter attack.
And the frustration started to show from the home side with the Killie fans starting to get a bit restless as Lafferty was booked for leading with an arm on Derek Gaston.
The Lichties were more than happy to sit back, with the home side unable to find a way through. And Dick Campbell’s men were inches away from going 2-0 up on 42 minutes.
The goalscorer, Craigen, played a nice ball out wide for Michael McKenna who whipped in a first time cross. Luke Donnelly got contact on the ball but his effort went agonisingly wide.
Arbroath more than deserved their lead at half time, with the home side only mustering up two shots to the Lichties’ five.
Late heartbreak
Derek McInnes would have issued a stern team talk at half time and his side fired out of the traps with Gaston down well to save a deflected Blair Alston effort.
The home side had a penalty appeal turned away after Rory McKenzie went to the ground under a Chris Hamilton challenge.
Despite protests from Killie, referee John Beaton was uninterested.
The Ayrshire side showed far more urgency and Gaston was again called into action saving a low Oli Shaw effort as the forward burst through on goal.
Arbroath started to look a bit jaded after their first half display and attempted to run down the clock, taking an extra few seconds at every set piece and throw-in.
Killie did have the ball in the net for the first time this season against Arbroath on 73 minutes, but the linesman correctly flagged Lafferty offside.
However, on 77 minutes, Ash Taylor levelled the scores after a Gaston save went loose in the six yard box.
With minutes to go, Killie started to throw everything at it but Derek Gaston was determined in the Arbroath goal making three incredible saves in a row.
Despite his heroics, he was helpless to stop Blair Alston’s effort in the 90th minute.
