Rejuvenated Arbroath won their third game in a row in fine style as Todd Lumsden’s side swept East Stirling aside.
Andy Ryan hit a double, Bobby Linn netted from the penalty spot and substitute Martin Grehan also scored in a game where the Red Lichties emphasised the progress they have made since a four-game losing run at the start of the season.
Lumsden said: “We started off playing in an excellent fashion and got an early goal.
“We then created a lot of chances and hit the bar but, while a one-goal lead can be fragile, I thought we were always in control.
“At half-time I asked the players to keep doing what they were doing and they did that.
“The clean sheet pleased me just as much as anything, as that is down to a team effort,” he said.
“There have been signs that things have been coming together, but we will just concentrate on one game at a time.”
The opening goal came in seven minutes when Ricky Little’s diagonal pass found Andy Munro, who released Linn on the right and his low cross was turned in by Ryan.
The Gayfield side then made and missed a host of chances to have the game won by half-time, but made amends after the break.
Ryan wriggled free of home defender Connor Greene on 53 minutes and, after his jersey was tugged, Greene was dismissed and Linn netted from the spot.
With the Shire still reeling, Ryan accepted a pass from Linn and side-footed home just three minutes later before Grehan, who replaced the on-loan Hamilton man, clipped home a sublime pass from Sergio Alvarez via the body of Shire shot-stopper Richie Barnard and the inside of a post.
Ryan said: “That kind of performance has been coming for a number of weeks.”