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Montrose 2 v 1 Albion Rovers |  |
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Montrose 2 v 1 Albion Rovers | |
| Irn-Bru League Third Division 2nd February 2008 |
Attendance : 430
Scorers ~ Albion Rovers : Donnelly (72). Montrose : Baird (10), Doris (45).
With Montrose desperate to hang onto second place in the table and Albion Rovers just as keen to climb the table this was always going to be keenly contested match and so it was. Rovers fielded new signing Chris Hughes from the start, striker Willie Martin came on from the bench with a pair of trialists remaining on the bench.
The game burst into life four minutes in when John Gemmell fired a free-kick from 27 yards, it rounded the wall and with 'keeper Mark Peat stranded it was inches wide of the post.
A couple of minutes passed before Montrose tried for a goal, Keith Gibson hit a shot which brought out an instinct save from David Scott in the Rovers goal following a John Baird run.
In 10 minutes the Gable Endies went ahead when Stephen Black took the ball from Barry Donald and advanced down the wing. He crossed to Baird who headed the ball home. Baird was keen to bag another when he spun on the spot and unleashed a shot which Scott did well to get down to turn round the post.
An early change of personnel was forced on Rovers gaffer John McCormack when Robert Walker hirpled off to be replaced by Alan Reid. Gemmell then tried his luck in a crowded box but it was easily caught by Peat.
A Barry Donald pass lead to Kenny Wright shooting too high to be of concern to the homesters. With around 15 seconds of first half play remaining Rovers lost another goal. Baird toyed with the Rovers defence juggling with the ball as he advanced goalward from the far corner. He evaded the attentions of his marker and put the ball into the box for Steven Doris to slip into the net.
Half-Time
New boy Willie Martin replaced Iain Chisholm after the interval but it was a quiet start to the second period with Reid firing over. A Montrose move in 56 minutes started when Gary Wood sent Baird down the left hand side of the box. He jinked towards the goal, but his progress was stopped before he could do any real damage.
Gibson then shot low and wide from around 30 yards before Rovers could mount a decent attack. Jamie McKenzie took a free-kick from just outside the Montrose penalty area which warmed the hands of 'keeper Peat.
The 71st minute saw Montrose come close with Gibson and Doris combining, the former seeing his attempt stopped by Scott. A minute later Rovers pulled one back to give travelling fans some hope. The Gable Endies conceded a free-kick at the edge of their box, McKenzie flighted it in and Ciaran Donnelly headed the ball across the 'keeper and in at the post.
Chris Hegarty had a couple of failed attempts for the Angus side in the dieing minutes. With the last kick of the game McKenzie almost scored a spectacular equaliser when his overhead strike was saved by Peat.
Summary
A gritty performance by Rovers in this first of 3 successive matches
against Angus opposition but ultimately it failed.
Montrose : Peat, Trialist, Thomson (Stein 83), McLeod, Gardiner, Doris, Gibson, Hegarty, Wood, Baird (Hunter 88), Black. Subs Not Used : McLaren, Maitland, McKenzie.
Albion Rovers : Scott, Hughes, Donnelly, Robert Walker (Reid 21), Benton, Donald, Pat Walker, Chisholm (Willie Martin 46), Gemmell, McKenzie, Wright. Subs Not Used : Ally Martin, Ferry, Magennis.
Referee : George Salmond
Man of the Match - David Scott
