By Gary McKenzie @ Links Park
April 10 2005

Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 9 April 2005, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 4 (Wood (45), Sharp (54), Ferguson (62), Maclean (84)) EAST STIRLINGSHIRE 1 (Ure (22). The manager made some changes in an attempt to avoid another performance like last week's.

McLean took Watson's striking spot while surprise of the day was Kerr Dodds being preferred to Barry Donachie at right back.

Montrose had the better of the opening exchanges, forcing a couple of corners in the first 6 minutes. Sharp shot wide through a ruck of players at the second one.

 

McLean showed his blistering pace on 17 minutes as he outran the visitors' defence but pulled his shot well wide.

Wood then shot wide after 19 minutes when McLean laid it back.

The Shire shocked Montrose on 22 minutes when URE headed home a cross from the right.

Montrose were clearly affected by this and found it difficult to regain any rhythm to their play.

On 26 miinutes McLean headed the ball into the Shire net, but it was chalked off for offside - it must have been close.

Three minutes later, McLean again found himself with a chance after he was put through by Wood. He shot over and it was a difficult chance with 2 Shire defenders breathing down his neck.

On 31 minutes, Montrose had a glorious chance to draw level. Wood did well down the right, cut inside and passed to Webster who hit it first time with his left foot and it flew just over the bar.

Graeme Sharp, who had been fairly anonymous to this point, had a great run down the left on 40 minutes. He chose to shoot when a better option might have been to cut it back to McLean in the box.

Right on half-time, Montrose finally got the equaliser, when WOOD found dpace on the penalty spot and fired home.

Shire almost went ahead again with a freekick that came off the bar with Butter diving to his left.

Henry Hall must have given his side a rocket at half-time because they came out much more positive.

SHARP put the Mo ahead on 54 minutes when he took advantage of Wood's good control in the box to fire home.

McLean pounced on Shire's slack defending on 57 minutes and headed off down the left towards goal, but he blasted it over.

Paul Tyrell was booked for the Shire on the hour for a foul on Sharp.

The best goal of the day came two minutes later. Montrose won a freekick just outside the East Stirling box. Woody chipped it down the left to Sharp, who headed it over to FERGUSON in the middle to nod in a rare goal.

On 65 minutes the visitors replaced Harvey with McKay. Donaldson was then booked for a foul on Stephen.

Webster put a looping cross over from the right on 67 minutes. Wood brought it down brilliantly but shot wildly over. Smarty was nextr to try his luck from the edge of the box but it was saved.

Ure was booked two minutes later for leaving his foot in on Doyle, who had to go off as a result and was replaced by Ross Graham.

Dodds was booked for dissent on 73 minutes.

The game was becoming a bit niggly and Shire's Walker was booked on 75 minutes for bodychecking Smarty.

Webster signalled to the bench that he needed to come off and was replaced by Hall on 79 minutes.

The young midfielder made his presence known almost immediately and his cross was cut out for a corner by keeper Jackson with Wood waiting in the penalty area.

The keeper was to turn to sinner in 84 minutes when he made a right hash of a clearance, sklaffing it out to the Mo's left wing. MCLEAN picked it up 30 yards out, ran on and slotted it past the embarrassed stopper.

Sharpy should have made it 5 a minute later but shot into the side netting.

Almost inevitably, Donaldson was sent off with four minutes to go for another reckless challenge.

Smart had a chance to score when he tried to curl one into the top corner on 88 but shot just wide.

McLean had the ball in the net again with seconds remaining but was again adjudged to be offside.

This was a real Jekyll and Hyde performance from the Mo, but the second half show was as good as we've seen this season.

So that's 6 without loss for the Mo and a tricky trip to Stenny next week, who lost heavily to the champions.

Teams

Montrose

Butter, Dodds, Ferguson, Elliot Smith, Stephen, Doyle, Webster, Smart, Wood, Maclean, Sharp

Subs: Donachie, Hall, Watsin, Graham, Hankinson

East Stirlingshire

Jackson, Harvey, McGhee, Walker, M Tyrell, Livingstone, Thywissen, P Tyrell, Donaldson, Ure, McGroarty

Sibs: Findlay, Rae, McKay, Ross, Mitchell

Other match reports

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/4422635.stm
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=155020&cc=5739
http://www.montrose-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=216251