By Gary McKenzie
September 20 2004

Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 18 September 2004, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 3 (Smart (23, pen, 61, 74) COWDENBEATH 1 (Mauchlen (33)). A rainbow shon over Links Park today, and Craig Smart found the crock of gold in the shape of 3 superbly taken goals.

 Both teams looked up for this clash, which was a "sixpointer" for the two teams above the Shire at the bottom of the league. Both teams also knew that a win could catapult them up the table due to the number of teams on or around the 8 point mark.

Cowdenbeath wore their away strip, and, although none of them looked good enough to grace the Maracana, they started brighter, forcing a save by Hanky at close range after 3 minutes.

On 5 minutes the Cowden keeper looked precariously close to the edge of his box as he

 picked up the ball, but the Fifers kept up the pressure and Hanky saved comfortably from a 25 yard drive on 7 minutes.

The visitors were getting men forward in numbers and should have opened the scoring on 11 minutes when their striker found himself in the six yard box with the ball at his feet, but he shot over.

On 17 minutes Dodds gave away a free kick outside his own box, but Gribben fired the resultant free kick high and wide.

The game sprung to life in 22 minutes. Smarty was fouled 30 yards out and Webster swung in the free kick. Fusco pulled Kerrigan down in the rush to connect with the kick and Smarty expertly hammered the spot kick high into the net.

 

 

 

Montrose took heart from this opener and Kevin Webster had a shot saved on 25 minutes.

 

It was end to end stuff, and Hanky had to look lively and got down well to thwart a Cowden attack at the other end. He was in action again a minute later with a great diving save.

Webster was unlucky not to score when his header came off the bar in 28 minutes.

On the half hour, Kegsy had a shot turned wide by Carlin in the visitors' goal. Webster fired over from the corner.

However, even with this Montrose pressure, Cowdenbeath's strikers still threatened and they drew level when Mauchlen knocked the ball home from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

Neil Stephen was lucky to get away with it when he was robbed on 39 minutes but Hanky was having a great game and he dived bravely at feet again.

Donachie was booked after 41 minutes for a foul or chatting back or a combination of both!

Montrose had the wind in the second half, and we were about to make it count.

However, Cowdenbeath had the first chance of the second period when Kelly ran half the length of the pittch but Hanky was equal to the shot. Doyle had a chance at the other end but shot just wide.

Kerrigan was influential for the Mo in the middle of the park, and his 25 yard shot on 51 minutes was saved.

Kegsy then made a great pass to Smart who shot just wide.

Cowdenbeath had the ball in the net on 57 minutes, but Gribben was offside. Montrose made a tactical change when Hall and Webster switched wings, Kev going to the right.

Hanky was staking a claim for man of the match when he pulled off another great save on the hour, but that honour was to be claimed by Craig Smart who notched up his second shortly afterwards. Hall crossed the ball from just over the halfway line and the Cowdenbeath defence looked surprised to see Smarty sneaking through between them to head the ball over a stranded Carlin.

He could have had another a minute later but just failed to connect with another long diagonal ball. Doyle was then booked for persistent fouling.

On 65 minutes, Henry Hall sent on the peacock-haired O'Reilly and Spink for Greenhill and Hall. Mauchlen then clattered Kegsy who went down heavily, but we were relieved when he recovered to play on.

Bathgate replaced Gribben for Cowdenbeath. However, the points were effectively sealed on 75 minutes when Sharp made a great run and pulled the ball across to Smart who hit is first time to secure hs hat-trick.

Smarty was still hungry for more and Carlin turned his shot wide on 77 minutes.

 

With 10 minutes remaining, Keith Wright sent on Mowat for Shand, then Williams for Mauchlen, but the Fifers couldn't come back.

This result sees the Mo rise to 5th spot. Confidence is high at Links Park and Stenhousemuir are the visitors next Saturday.

Teams

Montrose:

Hankinson, Donachie, Doyle, Stephen, Dodds, Webster, Kerrigan, Greenhill, Hall, Smart, Sharp.
Subs: Budd, Smith, Butter, Spink, O'Reilly

Cowdenbeath

Carlin, Shand, McGregor, McKeown, Campbell, McHale, Kelly, Fusco, Mauchlen, Shields, Gribben

Subs: Miller, Fleming, Mowat, Williams, Bathgate

 

Links to other match reports:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/3662190.stm

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=152617&cc=5739