By Gary McKenzie
May 1 2006

Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 29 April 2006, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 0 EAST FIFE 2 (Dodds (3), Bradford (60)). The sunshine at Links Park was the only bright thing about this dire end of season encounter.

The East Fife supporters clearly came to make an impression, with Santa Claus, and Scooby Doo amongst the travelling fans. However, any goodwill they earned by their outward display quickly turned into a bitter torrent of abuse aimed at chairman Derrick Brown. If they'd stopped to watch, they might have noticed their team doing not a bad job of dumping our sorry lot.

The Fifers sported ex Gable Endies Kerr Dodds, Craig Smart and Paul Doyle in their ranks.

Watson was first to get a chance when he shot straight at John Dodds in the visitors goal in 2 minutes.

The opener came a minute later. East Fife broke down the right wing with a suspiciously offside-looking pass was crossed over for DODDS to knock easily home at the far post. Why nobody picked him up is anybpdy's guess.

In 5 minutes, Kegsy headed on for Watson but he went for power and blasted wide.

In 14 minutes, Wood had to save from close range.

John Dodds had to make a save from Henners volley in 18 minutes.

In 40 minutes, an audacious overhead kick by Kegsy in the box ended just over.

In 52 minutes, Henners was fed by Kegsy but attention from the Fife defence forced him to hurry and shoot wide.

BRADFORD wrapped it up for the visitors on the hour when again no-one picked him up in the box and he slotted it home with ease.

Watson came close in 64 minutes when he beat 2 sdefenders in the visitors box but shot wide.

Montrose almost wen further behind in 67 when Smart headed against the post and it rebounded to Wood.

Montrose replaced the ineffectual McManus with Russell and East Fife sent on Johnston for Lumsden.

In 79 minutes, Montrose made their final changes - Moddleton and Fotheringham for Brash and Davidson.

The Mo had a great chance to get back into the game on 84 minutes when Henners' shot was saved by the keeper and rebounded to him. Before he could pull the trigger, he was tripped by Campbell who received a straight red card.

Middleton completely ballooned it high and wide and many Mo supporters headed home at that point.

The Fifers sent on Bain for Smart and Samson for Kerr Dodds, and a[part from Middleton shooting straight at the keeper in injury time, there was nothing further to cheer and the referee's whistle for the end of the match, and indeed the season, was a welcome sound.

The manager was quoted in the papers as bemoaning our lack of quality, which seems a bit strange since he brough most of the players in, and let some of the guys who turned out for the other team go at the start of the year. We have had enough of managers trundling out the same excuses week in week out, hopefully this is a momentary lapse of judgement.

There is clearly a great deal of work to be done in the summer and much depends on the new players  who come to Links Park between now and the stat of the next season.

Teams

Montrose: Wood, Kelly, Ralph, Fraser, Brash, Davidson, Donachie, McManus, Henslee, Watson, Kerrigan

Subs: Fotheringham, Middleton, Russell, McLeod, Hankinson

East Fife: John Dodds, Lumsden, Doyle, Campbell, Smith, Gordon, Kelly, Fortune, Kerr Dodds, Bradford, Smart

Subs: Johnston, Cusick, Samson, Bain, Morrison