IRN BRU Scottish Football League
Division Three
Saturday 13th March 2010
Albion Rovers 1 Montrose 0

Montrose made the trip to Coatbridge for  their final match of the season against Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill. Rovers were the only team in the 3rd Division not to have defeated Montrose this season before kick off, a statistic which was eradicated in the 80th Minute with a Steven McKeown strike. The defeat consigned Montrose to a 16th league defeat of the season and all but ended hopes of catching Elgin City.
Steven Tweed stuck with the same 4-4-2 side which was victorious at Stair Park the previous week with McNeil in goal and a back four of McNally, Tweed, Crighton, Campbell. The Midfield consisted of Milligan, Davidson, Hegarty and Sinclair with Tosh and Tomana partnered together upfront.  John Gemmell and Daryl Nicol returned from suspension to join Steven Coutts, Martin Boyle and Jack Presly  on the bench. Also in the squad pool for the day were long term absentees Gordon Pope and James Collier, the latter having begun full training after a nasty achilles tendon injury in preseason.
The Cliftonhill pitch has seen better days over the past 30 years and it resembled a mountain range as opposed to a lawn; the pitch conspired with the swirling wind to contribute to what can only be described as a very poor game of football. With Rovers being particularly abrasive through the middle of the park, typified by the industrious and streetwise Paul Tyrell barely losing a header or tackle throughout the 90 minutes.
Both teams seemed unable to hold onto the ball in the opening 10 minutes. It was Albion who came closest to goal first when the ball came across the face of goal at height and McCusker (from what looked like an offside position) headed the ball over the bar. Five minutes later Albion again caused a bit of trouble in the box with McFarlane somehow getting a shot at the side netting through the flailing Alan Campbell & Andy McNeil.
~On 20 minutes, a perfect through ball behind Tweed and Crighton sent McFarlane through one on one; fortunately for Montrose, his poor composure forced McNeil into a comfortable save with his foot to keep Montrose in the game. On 25 minutes, Montrose finally made some progression into the other half with some tenacious work from Milligan who managed to win a corner. Hegarty sent in an excellent ball, Steven Tweed left his man and attacked the ball but agonisingly sent the ball past the left of the post. It was a good chance and the boss was visibly disappointed with his effort. Milligan was the only Montrose player who looked like causing any danger to Rovers, however, a very diligent Rovers defence and midfield  frequently pressurised the tricky winger from all angles. As a result, Milligan struggled to feed any service to his teammates, as they too always seemed to be locked in by a red shirt either side of them. The only other point of note in the first half was Rovers’ circus style defending on 40 minutes; the ball was treated like a hot coal by three red shirts before falling to Hegarty who struck straight into the arms of Jamie Ewings.
The second half begun much as the first half ended; scrappy play with neither team looking likely to score within 90 minutes (or hours!). Milligan won a free kick on the edge of the area, which was hit by Sinclair, the ball fell to Tweed who scalfed his shot in between a myriad of legs, boots and ankles in the box.
The obligatory yellow card for Chris Hegarty came following a sloppy challenge on the stand-side touchline, the resultant free kick didn’t threaten the Montrose box but seconds later Albion counterattacked after McNally gifted possession on the right flank. The ball came across goal and looked to have crossed the line before it was eventually hacked away by Sean Crighton. A real let off for Montrose, but it was a sign of pressure to come later in the game. Rover’s keeper Ewings was lucky to stay on the park having grabbed the ball outside of his area out of the chest of Paul Tosh, he was yellow carded for his actions. Tosh took the free kick which deflected off of the Rovers wall, it was picked up by Milligan who slotted out to Hegarty. Hegarty sent a perfectly weighted ball over to Paul Tosh at the back of the box; the veteran striker worked a narrow angle and rifled a sweet left footed volley at goal which was agonisingly past the right hand post. It would have been yet another goal of the season contender for him had he found the net.
Milligan and Hegarty linked up well and Milligan somehow found himself in behind the Rovers defence, with Tosh in an offside position, the winger advanced and shot from just inside the 18 yard box, sadly he didn’t fully connect with the ball and it was comfortably saved by Ewings. Immediately after; Alan Campbell made a rare venture into the box on 70 minutes and whacked a shot off of a Rovers defender.
Milligan bizarrely made way for Nicol on 75 minutes; the winger put in a good performance and was more than likely subbed as a result of the flu bug which threatened to keep him out of the game. Disaster struck for Montrose on 79 minutes as a high ball from the left came across the 18 yard line and was chested by Tweed, as he lost the ball it was sent back through by a Rovers player on the right flank making a run into a free channel in the box, the lucky ball seemed to deflect on route, leaving Crighton pole axed at the penalty spot. Steven McKeown happily jinked into the box unmarked before hammering the ball past Andy McNeil. John Gemmell was immediately brought on for the ineffectual Tomana and nearly scored when Ewings dropped the ball in mid flight; the striker nearly headed it past the keeper only for him to regain his hands on the ball. A lucky escape.
When the referee blew for full time there was a sigh of relief around the park, not only for the Rovers fans who were delighted with the 3 points, but for all of those who watched, arguably, one of the worst games of football in the 3rd division this season.