Following the disappointment of Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Partick Thistle, the reserves really turned on the style when they met Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Tuesday, and came away with a deserved 2-0 win which had many people wondering just which of the two teams are chasing hard for the Reserve League honours. For it was our young lads who fired on all cylinders right from the start and the result was never really in doubt. The boys showed a great deal of punch and a lot of skill which the Dons' youngsters couldn't emulate. The lads got off to the best possible start with a goal in only seven minutes. Ray O'Hara smacked in a beauty which Geoghegan failed to hold, and Stewart Hunter followed up to prod the ball home. This set-back spurred the home side to greater effort but their only real chance saw ex-Lichtie Billy Pirie fire in an angled drive which beat Gordon Marshall, but spun to safety off the post. But it was our lads who continued to have the better of the exchanges, and it was no real surprise when they went further ahead in the 69th minute, and again it was Stewart Hunter, playing in the unfamiliar role of left winger, who had a hand in the goal. He took advantage of a bad defensive blunder, hit the advancing 'keeper with his s hot, and watched as the ball broke to Dave Reid, who cracked it into the net. This was a tremendous confidence booster for the lads, who were tight and solid in defence and aggressive and skilful in attack. The rearguard was superbly marshalled by Billy Wells while Stewart Hunter and Dave Reid were always dangerous in attack. It was also good to see Gordon Marshall, ' Peem ' Cant, Eric Sellars and Gordon Buchan doing their bit, even in the reserves, to show that they mean to fight back into the first team, and this sort of competition for places at Gayfield can only be to the full advantage of all concerned. It was particularly pleasing too, to see Marshall and Jim Cant back in action after a spell in which they have been beset by injuries. But both have come through two reserve outings and have shown no ill effects and hopefully will soon be ready for first team action once again.
Source: Arbroath Match Programme, 1st March 1975