Second Division: Dogged Arbroath fight back to stun Alloa and hit the summit

Arbroath moved to the top of the Second Division with a fine 3-2 win over Alloa at Recreation Park, although they went about it in a difficult manner by going two goals down and playing out the last quarter of the game with only ten men.

Kevin Cawley had the Wasps in command with two strikes in the first half hour, however the tide began to turn when Derek Holmes pulled a goal back just before half-time.

Gayfield manager Paul Sheerin was far from satisfied and replaced Lee Sibanda and Darren Gribben with Daniel Rennie and Jake Mair.

And the changes paid dividends with Paul Currie levelling nine minutes into the second period and Michael Travis touching home a Currie free kick to edge Arbroath in front on 63 minutes.

Rennie was then dismissed a minute later for a foul on Darryl Meggatt to leave Sheerin saying: “I have to admit that we got out of jail. I had to change things about to give them more problems and thankfully it worked.”

Opposite number Paul Hartley said: “Our first half was as good as anything I have seen from us. I could not see a defeat coming but we will need to learn from it as we switched off at crucial times.”

Queen of the South sit level on points with Arbroath following a 1-0 success over Albion Rovers at Palmerston Park which had a hint of good fortune about it. Derek Lyle prodded in Nicky Clark’s cross on 21 minutes for the goal and the visitors had Jamie Gilmartin dismissed for a crude challenge on Ryan McGuffie before the break. The ten men rallied but blew the chance of a second half leveller, and their first goal of the season, when Jason Crooks’ second-half penalty was saved.

Martyn Fotheringham struck in the last minute to take Forfar up to third place with a 3-2 win at Ayr. The Honest Men led twice through David Sinclair goals but Iain Campbell and Gavin Swankie hit back to ensure a share of the points for Dick Campbell’s side.

Brechin recorded a 2-1 triumph over East Fife at Glebe Park courtesy of Andy Jackson’s first- half double.

The Fifers, who had assistant Gordon Chisholm in charge due to manager 
Gordon Durie’s illness, netted through Gareth Wardlaw.

Stranraer and Stenhousemuir drew 1-1 at Stair Park, with Ross McMillan opening the scoring for the Warriors and Ryan Borris driving home an equaliser for the Blues.