Arbroath 1-1 Dundee: Bobby Linn the goalscoring binman is like Lionel Messi says Dick Campbell

Arbroath's Bobby Linn celebrates the goal that "Messi would have been proud of". Picture: Euan Cherry / SNS

The other works full-time as a binman in Dundee while terrorising Championship defenders as he turns out for Arbroath every week.

On the face of it the worlds of Lionel Messi and Bobby Linn appear to be light years apart but, according to the latter’s manager, the one thing they share in common is the creative spark to single-handedly win a game.

Linn’s opening goal was special as he picked his spot in the top corner of the net to curl home from 15 yards. It didn’t prove to be the winner as Kane Hemmings earned Dundee a point with a second-half header, but it still earned Linn plaudits from Dick Campbell.

“Bobby’s goal was in the realms of the type of strikes that Messi would be proud of,” said Campbell. “Everyone could see what he was trying to do and he pulled it off. What an advert he is for a Scottish football player. He empties bins for a living during the week but come a Saturday he still has the energy and enthusiasm of a 15-year-old.

“He was moaning like crazy near the end when I took him off but he’s 35 on his next birthday so I have to give him a break sometimes.”

Arbroath totally dominated the first period, forcing a series of set-pieces to test Jack Hamilton in the Dundee goal. Linn was first to have a go, in four minutes, as his curling 20 yard free-kick went inches over the top.

Dundee then had defender Jordan Forster to thank for keeping them in it as he bravely threw himself in front of a Tam O’Brien 15 -yard drive to block.

Mark Whatley lined up Arbroath’s next chance as he picked up the ball 20 yards out, only for his low drive to skid wide.

Hamilton then made two more saves to deny Arbroath the opener, grasping a Colin Hamilton header from the air before getting down well to smother a downward header from Michael McKenna.

The goal Arbroath deserved came on 37 minutes and it was a thing of beauty. Scott Stewart went on a darting run on the right before cutting back for Linn who curled the ball over Hamilton from 15 yards.

Dundee failed to create a single chance in the first 60 minutes but when they did it proved to be clinical as Hemmings headed in a Cameron Kerr cross to earn his side a point. They are now 14 points adrift of local rivals United at the top and face an uphill struggle to win automatic promotion.

“I’m disappointed but I knew it would be tough,” said Dundee manager James McPake.