We made the trip to Gayfield Park to take on Arbroath in the second round of the Co-Operative Insurance Cup this evening and Manager Craig Brewster elected to give some of the fringe players a run out.  Ryan Esson replaced Michael Fraser in goals with Lionel Djebi-Zadi coming in for Richard Hastings at left back.  Youngsters Iain Vigurs, Rory McAllister and Garry Wood all started with McBain, Barrowman and Rooney dropping out.

It took ten minutes for us to create an opening, a cross from Don Cowie bounced through to the back post but leaning back Ian Black fired high over the bar.

However within two minutes Arbroath hit back with a chance of their own, Steven Weir created space on the left to get a cross in and striker Paul Tosh came diving in with a header which looked goal bound until Ryan Esson did superbly well to push the ball away from goal.

On the 18th minute we opened the scoring with a fine strike, Iain Vigurs picked up a pass from Rory McAllister following a throw in on the left, stepped inside on his right foot and fired the ball high into the net.

The home side hit back within two minutes to shock us, a long ball from the back was not dealt with and Paul Tosh went in behind our defence, he took a touch and his shot deflected off Jamie Duff to give Ryan Esson no chance and spun into the net.

Five minutes before the break we hit the post, Ross Tokely stepped forward and his cross from the right went all the way through to the back post for Barry Wilson to dive in with his head but an Arbroath defender got in a telling touch and deflected the ball onto the post and behind for a corner.

Half time score: Arbroath 1 (Tosh 20 mins) - ICT 1 (Vigurs 18 mins)

We started the second half well but the second goal was proving elusive with efforts from Cowie, McAllister and Wilson all failing to trouble Arbroath goalkeeper Morrison.  On the 61st minute Barry Wilson stepped in from the left flank moving right across the box as the Arbroath defence eventually opened up to allow him room to shoot but he was unlucky to see his curling right footed effort parried away by the goalkeeper.

Two minutes we took the lead again when a cross from the left by Barry Wilson was touched down in the box by Iain Vigurs for Garry Wood to spin and force the ball over the line from five yards.

A minute later Lionel Djebi-Zadi was booked for a foul on the half-way line.

With 78 minutes played we made a triple substitution with Barry Wilson, Rory McAllister and Garry Wood making way for Dougie Imrie, Adam Rooney and Andy Barrowman.  Within four minutes Andy Barrowman was booked for kicking the ball away at a free kick decision.

There was to be a sting in the tail from Arbroath with only four minutes left for play when Lionel Djebi-Zadi was adjudged to have fouled an Arbroath player in the box and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.  Midfielder Barry Sellars stepped and confidently placed the ball past Ryan Esson into the bottom corner of the net.

Both sides had chances to win it in normal time but saves from both goalkeepers ensured the tie went into extra-time.

In the 3rd minute of extra time we came inches close to taking the lead for the third time in the match, a Dougie Imrie corner from the right side was dropped by goalkeeper Morrison onto his goal line and just when it looked like Phil McGuire would force the ball over the line two Arbroath defenders combined to clear the ball from under the cross bar.

On the 101st minute Arbroath substitute Scott Gates sneaked in behind Ross Tokely and found himself one on one with Ryan Esson but the ex-Aberdeen goalkeeper was quickly off his line to put off Gates and his effort went past the post.

A 20 yard drive from Iain Vigurs went flashing past the post two minutes into the second period of extra-time as we pressed the Arbroath goal in search of a winner.

With five minutes left for play a long throw from Ross Tokely on the left flank caused mayhem in the Arbroath defence and Andy Barrowman reacted quickest to the bouncing ball but his header struck the crossbar and bounced away to safety.

A Phil McGuire block on Scott Gates provoked a melee in the middle of the park which resulted in yellow cards for McGuire, Gates and Arbroath captain Robbie Raeside.  Then after consultation with his farside assistant, referee Euan Norris sent off Andy Barrowman for reasons only known to the assistant.

With neither side able to grab a winner the tie moved into penalty kicks.

Arbroath took the first spot kick with Robbie Raeside blasting the ball past Ryan Esson.

Striker Adam Rooney equalised with a well taken kick high into the net.

Paul Tosh skied his penalty over the bar and Ross Tokely put us 2-1 ahead with a cool kick.

Arbroath's Paul Lunan saw his effort well saved by Ryan Esson and Dougie Imrie followed up by smashing his kick into the net.

John Simpson scored to keep the tie alive but Iain Vigurs finished the contest placing his kick into the net to make it 4-2.

Full time score: Arbroath 2 (Tosh 20 mins, Sellars 86 mins) - ICT 2 (Vigurs 18 mins, Wood 63 mins)

ICT win 4-2 on penalties

ICT Team

Esson

Tokely, Duff, McGuire, Djebi-Zadi

Cowie, Black, Vigurs, Wilson

McAllister, Wood

Subs: Fraser (GK), Rooney for McAllister (78 mins), Barrowman for Wood (78 mins), Imrie for Wilson (78 mins), Hastings