AWF started their final three games in the East league with a fixture against St. Andrews.
The AWF starting team was: Waddell, Skelly, G. Smith, K. Craib, Durno, and S. Cargill. W. Craib, Scott, Gordon, and Harrison in reserve.

This was a one-sided affair, with Waddell a mere spectator in the AWF goals. Goal scorers Steve Cargill (2). K. Craib and A. Gordon secured the points.
Next up was St. James, who had just lost 1-0 to a very impressive Crieff team; this meant AWF needed a win to have a chance of winning the league.
With so much at stake, this match was always going to be very competitive. The game was littered with fouls which, to be fair to the referee, he handled pretty well.
Cargill worked the St. James keeper (fellow Arbroathian Beattie) with a fine effort.
Soon after, a misplaced pass from AWF set up a St. James forward whose finish gave Waddell no chance to put the defending champions 1-0 up.
The game was more open now, Skelly, in particular, putting himself about and winning some strong tackles.
AWF eventually levelled the game after some superb link-up play saw Cargill fire in the equaliser.
Both teams pushed for the winner, and a slick move from St. James saw them regain the lead and finish the match as winners.

AWF had one game left against Tayport, and a win for AWF and barring Crieff winning by a large margin would see them qualify for the “champions league” tournament at Ravenscraig on 11th December.
AWF started on the front foot and was soon in the ascendancy. It was Cargill who broke the deadlock with a great strike.
Tayport looked dangerous on the break, and Arbroath was unlucky not to convert the great chances they created. It was left to Cargill to put AWF 2-0 ahead, but the tension was creeping into AWF play, and Tayport pulled a goal back to leave a very tense last five minutes remaining.
Waddell then made a fine save to preserve the lead as AWF saw out the remainder of the game.
AWF finished a creditable second with two goals to the better than Crieff, who look like a formidable team in their first season in the league.
St. James again proved to be worthy winners, but AWF, managed by G Mckenzie, ensured they had to work hard for it.

Arbroath is proving again that they are one of the top teams in the east league region.

On to the champions league next.

Match report by Hatchet

East League Runner’s up 2022