Forfar legend Martyn Fotheringham turned in one of the best performances of his career to help steer the Loons to the League 1 play-off final.
The long-serving playmaker, looking to ensure his testimonial season with Forfar ends on a high after the crushing disappointment of blowing the League Two title, was the key figure as the Station Park side swept into a two-leg final against Peterhead.
Foxy played a pivotal role as he linked up time and time again with captain Gavin Swankie. The pair, along with Danny Denholm, were the stand-out stars as Forfar recaptured the form from the first half of the season that saw them race to the top of the table before their disastrous form slump allowed Arbroath to pip them on the final day.
“Me and Gavin go back to when we were 12 years old playing for Forfar Boys so I know where he makes his runs,” Fotheringham said.
“I said to him at the age of 34 I am still getting him a big time move with the passes I give him! We have changed shape slightly and the manager thinks it will suit him better having me in there so I would like to think I did that. I think we have a good understanding.
“I’ve had to be patient recently but I have tried to be professional at all times and do a job when I am called on.
“We carried the second half from the first leg in to today and some of the football we played was first class.
“We scored three in the first half but it could have been five or six. We knew Annan would come back at us and we gave them goals quite early which gave them more encouragement.
“We showed good character to come back today but we have done that often this season and at times we have played some right good football.
“But the league table does not lie, Arbroath won the league and deservedly so. We have got a second chance at promotion now and have to just go for it. We have to channel the disappointment and use that.
“There are eight other teams in the league who would kill to be in the position we are, going into the play -off final so it is up to us to channel that in the right way.
“It will be tough against Peterhead as they have players who can win games in their own. They are a right good side and we will have to be on the top of our game to get a result over the two games. But we have nothing to fear.”
Forfar started strongly and took the lead when Swankie collected an exquisite Fotheringham pass into the box and slotted the ball under the exposed keeper from six yards on the angle.
Forfar were exposing Annan with their quick breaks and Denholm forced Currie to pull off a point-blank save in the 15th minute.
Annan could have been level on the half-hour mark when O’Brien gave the ball away to Smith and he chipped the keeper. Adam just got his fingertips to the ball to slow it down and Eddie Malone completed the clearance as the ball trundled goalwards.
Forfar extended their lead almost instantly. Fotheringham was again instrumental in the break and Jamie Bain played a lovely ball over the defence for Jim Lister to squeeze the ball home via the far post.
In the 37th minute Swankie put Forfar in total control with his second and Forfar’s third when he thumped the ball in at the back post.
Forfar shot themselves in the foot and threw Annan a lifeline just four minutes into the second half when Adam and Malone got in a mess just inside the box and combined to bring down Smith. He picked himself up and calmly converted the penalty.
Forfar’s nerves were rattled further in the 67th minute when sub Darren Ramsay waltzed his way through the Forfar defence and steered the ball into the net beyond the stranded Adam.
But Forfar restored their two-goal advantage in the 72nd minute when Swankie powered into the box before cutting back for Bain to strike the ball home from 12 yards.
