By Gary McKenzie
May 10 2003

Scottish League Division 3, Saturday 10 May 2003, Links Park, Montrose. Montrose 0 Gretna 1 (Fairbairn (32)). Montrose end the season in seventh place... This meaningless end of season fixture was keenly fought by both sides. Montrose had the better of the first half, making a few chances, but converting none. Gretna went ahead through Fairbairn on 32 minutes, The goal came through a goalmouth scramble after a Gretna corner. Gretna were frustrating Montrose by their use of the offside trap, and the far-side linesman was regularly flagging, not always correctly, and the home support made their feelings known.

Montrose, when we had the ball, always looked the better footballing side. At half-time, Brand replaced Henderson and Montrose kept the pressure up on the Gretna defence. Sharp replaced the struggling Budd and immediately made his presence felt, winning a corner after a mazy run. Montrose had the ball in the net from a rebound when Brand tested the Gretna keeper, but the linesman flagged for offside. Indeed his opposite number on the far side received the biggest cheer of the afternoon, albeit sarcastically, when he gave a tight offside decision against a Gretna forward.

Montrose went close but couldn't break the duck, and it was a game which summmed up the whole season, really. Dodgy defending and some nice football, but no real penetration up front and no luck. Seventh place is where we finish and it's a real disappointment in a season in which we hoped last year's good work could be continued.

Mo Team

McGlynn, Donachie, Christie, Conway, Ferguson, Webster, Gibson, Johnston, Budd, Henderson, Kerrigan. Subs: Brand, Lindsay, McDonald, Sharp, Hankinson

Elsewhere in Angus, Brechin secured promotion from Division Two with a last minute equaliser at Hamilton and Arbroath pass them in the opposite direction as their fate was secured some weeks ago. Forfar remain in a respectable mid-table position in Division Two.