By Gary McKenzie
November 9 2002

Scottish League Division 3. Saturday 9 November 2002, Links Park, Montrose. Montrose 0 East Fife 5 (Farnan (54), Cunningham (58), Deuchar (77 pen), Herkes (79, 89)) Montrose suffer a heavy defeat at the hands of the league leaders.

East Fife lined up with former Montrose players Jim Butter, Craig Farnan and John Allison in their side with former Montrose keeper Jim Moffat in the dugout.

The game, which had been billed as Montrose's derby due to the lack of any other Angus teams in Division 3, began in frenetic fashion. Neither team were playing anything approaching decent football, and the high ball was the safest ploy. The referee, Mr Gilmour, was being overly fussy and both sets of supporters were displeased by his incessant whistling for inocuous challenges.

Montrose took the upper hand at the start of the second period, but it was ex-Gable Endie Craig Farnan who scored against the run of play to put the Fifers in the lead. They took heart from this and Cunningham scored 2 minutes later with a close range header to double the lead. Montrose looked ragged at this stage, and Sheran threw on Kevin Webster and Robbie Henderson in place of McKinnon and McDonald. Gilzean came on later for Kerrigan.

However, East Fife were playing counter attack by this time and they were awarded a soft-ish penalty when Conway fouled in the box. He was last man and was sent off on 77 minutes. Deuchar furthered the Fifers' lead.

A hint of offside accompanied Herkes first goal on 79 as he burst through the Mo's depleted defence and Graham Christie received a second yellow card for dissent against the under-fire linesman on the near side.

Herkes rounded off the rout on 89 and the depressed Endies support was left wondering why Kevin and Chris Webster were again consigned to the bench at the start of this game. Sure, the referee made some howlers, but we should be used to that by now. John Sheran's tactical awareness is being questioned by the home support and there are rumours abounding about dressing room disquiet.

We are now 2 points behind Elgin and 7 ahead of Queen's Park & East Stirling.

Mo Team

Campbell, Christie, Conway, McQuillan, Ferguson, Craig, Gibson, Johnson, McKinnon, McDonald, Kerrigan. Subs: Gilzean, Chris Webster, Kevin Webster, Henderson, McGlynn.