By Gary McKenzie @ Links Park
March 2 2005

Scottish Football League Division Three, Tuesday 1 March 2005, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 4 (McLean (27, 70), Webster (53, 59)) EAST STIRLINGSHIRE 1 (McGroarty (11)). Montrose survive the weather and an early shock to earn an easy win.

This game, played at a freezing Links Park, took a while to get warmed up. It took a speculative cross from the visitors' Tyrell from the right found the home defence all heading for the near post while MCGROARTY popped up at the back post to volley it past the diving Butter to open the scoring.

Montrose were stung into action and in 13 minutes Woody shot from 30 yards but it was taken easily by the keeper.

Smart was booked in 15 minutes for a strong tackle.

Donaldson followed Smarty into the book for the visitors on 22 miinutes after the referee consulted with the far side linesman.

Montrose finally got the equaliser they deserved when Webster knocked the ball craftily into the path of MCLEAN and the shiny headed striker held off the challenge of the Shire defence to fire it low under the keeper and into the net.

Links Park then experienced its very own mini-blizzard. For about 10 minutes the snow got progressively worse and we were treated to a rare outing of the orange ball. I'm sure we made a couple of chances during this spell, but I can't say anything about them, as I couldn't see them!

Normal vision resumed shortly before half-time and never has the Bovril been so welcome.

In 52 minutes Woody made a run into the box and fed Fraser whose shot was saved.

A minute later the ball fell to WEBSTER at the edge of the box and he struck a fine shot low past the keeper to give the Mo the lead.

In 57 minutes Rae replaced Ross for the visitors.

Just befor the hour, Montrose made their best move of the game. Some crisp passing around the East Stirling penalty box eventually found WEBSTER in much the same position as for his first goal and he stuck it away on the volley.

On 70 minutes, MCLEAN ran on to a great through ball from my man of the match, Fraser and the striker thumped it home.

That was McLean's last action as he and Webster were subbed by Dodds and Watson. East Stirling sent on Findlay for Baldwin.

On 76 minutes, Donachie foiled one of Shire's rare attacks by clearing the ball off the line.

With 13 minutes remaining, Sharp was replaced by a gloved Daryn Smith, but there was little else to report and the Mo strolled to victory.

There's a bit of six pointer in store for the weekend aT Cliftonhill against Albion Rovers.

Teams

Montrose

Butter, Donachie, Doyle, Ferguson, E Smith, Webster, Smart, Fraser, Sharp, Wood, Maclean

Subs Dodds, D Smith, Watson, Slater, Hankinson

East Stiringshire

Mitchell, M Tyrrell, Oates, Denham, McGhee, P Tyrrell, Ross, McGroarty, Baldwin, Donaldson, Ure.

Subs: Rae, Findlay, Trialist, Petrick

Other match reports

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/4306329.stm
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=177689&cc=5739
http://www.montrose-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=208815 

(PS Nae photos because my camera didn't like the floodlights for some reason:()