By Gary McKenzie
March 12 2006

Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 11 March 2006, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 2 (Henslee (13), Middleton (19)) EAST STIRLINGSHIRE 0. A welcome victory for the Mo with Middleton and Henslee conspiring to score both goals.

The sides started evenly, but Montrose gave notice that they were up for this one in 10 minutes, when Russell's free kick from the right found Henslee, but his header was saved by a Jackson diving save.

The scores were to stay level only another three minutes. HENSLEE chipped in a cross from the edge of the box on the left, Gary Middleton popped up and looked to head it goalwards, but the striker got nothing on the ball and it slipped in at the right hand post with the keeper flailing.

Montrose continued to push forward and in 19 minutes, Russell cut inside from the right and his shot was saved by Jackson, but he couldn't hold it. The ball ended up with Henslee and this time his cross was headed home by MIDDLETON to put the Mo on easy street.

The Mo went close to increasing that lead on 38 minutes. Henners went on a run down the right and fed Brash on the left, but his shot cannoned off the post.

Donachie was pushing forward on the right and his pass to Middleton on 41 minutes was fired just wide.

The Shire came back into things a little in the second half with McKenzie their danger man. However the Mo had another chance in 61 minutes when Watson's hard drive ended just wide.

McKenzie went close for the visitors on 74 minutes but hit the post.

The manager then swapped Russell and Watson for McLeod and Philip Reid.

With 10 minutes to go, visiting keeper, Derek Jackson, who's had better days, spilled a harmless-looking shot from McLeod and Reid just couldn't get to it before the keeper.

Corre replaced Brash then East Stirling made all three substitutes in the last 10 minutes - Oates, Gaughan and Sobolewski replaced Walsh, Molloy and Ure.

The Mo deserved the win today, although a better opposition would have made more of the chances they had.

Teams

Montrose

Wood, Donachie, Kelly, Ferguson, Fraser, Russell, Davidson, Henslee, Brash, Middleton, Watson

Subs: McLeod, Corre, Hall, P Reid, Hankinson

East Stirlingshire

Jackson, Blair, M Tyrrell, Smith, Ure, Brand, P Tyrrell, Molloy, Thywissen, McKenzie, Walsh

Subs: Patrick, Gaughan, Oates, Sobolewski