Arbroath returned to winning ways with a 3-0 win over Morton in front of a packed Gayfield.
It may have been a meaningless game but a crowd of 3,121 came to see the Lichties brush Morton aside.
Dick Campbell and his players took to the field for a ‘lap of appreciation’ at full-time for their efforts in this incredible season.
And the home fans certainly enjoyed the show put on by the side under the floodlights.
A Jason Thomson tap-in on 15 minutes opened the scoring. The crowd had to wait until the 78th minute for James Craigen to double the lead.
A Michael McKenna header rounded off the scoring on 85 minutes.
Changes galore
Dick Campbell made NINE changes to the squad as he looked to preserve his regular starters for the play-offs.
Arbroath vs Greenock Morton – Team News
Just 9 changes this evening as Dick Campbell makes sweeping changes including starts for Gavin Swankie, Sam Ford and Michael Bakare!
C'mon the Lichties pic.twitter.com/QkDV9oi1Rb
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) April 29, 2022
Among those were Michael Bakare and Sam Ford, who earned their first start since joining the club.
Only Scott Stewart and PFA Player of the Year nominee Tam O’Brien remained from the 2-1 defeat to Kilmarnock last week.
Morton, too, were much-changed from last week with Dougie Imrie making eight changes to the team.
Lichties start brightly
Arbroath started sharply and still looked a cohesive unit, despite the wholesale changes.
Their first effort came on 15 minutes with a Liam Henderson header from a Gavin Swankie corner well saved by Jack Hamilton.
Just a minute later, the home side were ahead and it was Henderson again involved in the action. Tam O’Brien floated a ball to the back post, the defender saw his header rattle the cross bar.
Jason Thomson was there to see the ball over the line with it bouncing off his knee and in.
GOAL!!! @JasonT_SL nets after Liam Henderson hits the bar with a header pic.twitter.com/E84B2HDp1G
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) April 29, 2022
The early goal seemed to stun the visitors, who offered little in the way of attack.
The game turned into a bit of a midfield battle with Arbroath looking the more lively through Bobby Linn and Michael Bakare.
Arbroath kept chipping away and were so close to doubling their lead through a magnificent Linn effort.
The veteran winger curled an effort from the edge of the box. It looked destined for the top corner but Hamilton got a crucial finger tip on the ball, tipping it over the bar.
The Ton stopper was called into action moments later, saving a low Scott Stewart drive from distance.
Arbroath turn on the style
There was little in the way of action early in the second half action until the 61st minute.
Sam Ford did well to show some quick feet in the Morton box to win a corner. From the resulting kick, Swankie’s cross found it’s way through to Thomson at the far post.
But the right back lacked composure and fired his shot high and wide of the goal.
Dick Campbell made four substitutions on 65 minutes with Jack Hamilton, James Craigen, Nicky Low and Luke Donnelly entering the play.
Hamilton was immediately involved and played through one-on-one with the keeper. But the Livi loanee took an early shot which blazed high over the goal and almost cleared Pleasureland behind the stand.
Hamilton was again involved in the action moments later almost assisting Low, whose shot struck the post.
The striker looked to have fouled Mark Russell as he chased down a long ball from David Gold.
Referee Matthew MacDermid was uninterested and Hamilton looked set to unleash a shot. Instead, he played in Low.
Rather than hit it first time, he took a touch past the defender before firing a shot off the inside of the post.
The ball fell straight to James Craigen who look set to make it 2-0 but his effort fell straight into the arms of the Morton keeper.
Undeterred by his chance, Craigen made sure he was on the scoresheet a minute later.
Linn did well down the left beating two Morton defenders to get into the box. He then played an inch perfect cross which was headed in by the substitute.
Not wanting to settle for two, the Lichties made it 3-0 on 85 minutes – and it was as simple as you like for the home side.
Low whipped in a header for Michael McKenna to head in for his 14th goal of the season.
McKenna had another chance late on but the score stayed at 3-0 with the Lichties earning a confidence-boosting win before the play-offs.
