Delighted Forfar Athletic boss Gary Bollan hailed his players for showing they had the stomach for battle as they clinched a place in next season’s League 1 after sweeping aside Peterhead with a five-goal blast in Saturday’s play-off final second leg clash at Balmoor Stadium.
Goals from Lewis Milne, David Cox, Danny Denholm, Aiden Malone and Josh Peters helped ease the Loons to an impressive 5-1 victory and condemn Jim McInally’s side to a place in the bottom tier for the first time since 2014.
An emotional Bollan, whose side were pipped by Angus rivals Arbroath to the league title on the final day of the season after leading the table for 33 matches, paid tribute to his side who won 7-2 on aggregate.
“It was convincing in the end but we knew it was going to be tough but we were up for it from the first minute,” he said.
“It helped scoring early and put pressure on Peterhead. We looked a real threat throughout the game and cut them open and deserved to win but I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be so convincing.
“We managed to kick on after going in front. I’m not usually emotional but they are getting the better of me at the moment. It’s a moment that I will savour as we should have won promotion automatically weeks ago.
“The players were determined that disappointment wouldn’t get the better of them and that showed today.
“Their character had been questioned several weeks ago but my coaching staff and I always had faith in them and I’m so pleased for them, everyone else at the club and the fans.”
McInally was left gutted by the Blue Toon’s relegation after three years in League 1.
He said: “It was a horrific way to end a horrific season.”
Both sides went into the game short of their first choice striking options after the midweek first leg. Rory McAllister was suspended, while Loons captain Gavin Swankie was out injured, with his place taken by Lewis Milne.
In driving rain, both sides went on the offensive but it was Forfar who scored to extend their aggregate advantage with five minutes on the clock.
The ball bounced over the head of Blue Toon defender Ryan Strachan from a throw in and in nipped Milne to roll the ball low into the net from the right side of the penalty area for his 10th goal of the campaign.
It could have been two after 13 minutes but veteran Martyn Fotheringham volleyed over from eight yards as the confident Loons went for more.
It was therefore no surprise when Forfar doubled their lead after 17 minutes and inevitably it came from a Peterhead old boy, David Cox cutting into the left side of the area and scoring with a shot smashed between keeper Graeme Smith and the post and it was a long way back for the home side.
After 25 minutes it looked like Peterhead were about to get a lifeline as Scott Brown was set to pull the trigger but Loons captain Thomas O’Brien slid in with a perfectly executed tackle to clear the danger. It was not looking like being the Blue Toon’s day.
Minutes later it was O’Brien to the rescue again, this time blocking a McIntosh shot from the right side of the penalty area for a corner from which keeper Grant Adam produced an acrobatic save to turn away a McIntosh header.
There was little to suggest a comeback from the restart with Michael McMullin sending an attempted cross virtually out of the ground in the 59th minute and a minute later it was definitely game over as Danny Denholm finished in style after curling home a shot from a Cox pass for his 14th goal of the season.
The humiliation continued after 68 minutes when substitute Aiden Malone cheekily back-heeled the ball into the net for a fourth to put the icing on a well- deserved cake for the Loons.
Peterhead did manage a consolation, Scott Brown sending a bobbling effort into the net after bursting forward from midfield for a rare moment of joy for the remaining home fans.
But in the 83rd minute Forfar made their final substitution and within seconds Josh Peters hammered in a Jim Lister lay-off for goal number five.
