Active Nation Scottish Cup
Fourth Round
Monday 18th January 2010
Edinburgh City 1 Montrose 3

Montrose Football Club booked a place in the Fifth Round of the Active Nation Scottish Cup and a tie with Premier League Hibernian at Easter Road on Saturday 6th February after seeing of the challenge of East of Scotland Edinburgh City at the Meadowbank Stadium on Monday night.
It was no more than the Gable Endies deserved in a tough battle which saw six bookings on a pitch that was heavy in places and got frosty as the evening progressed.
Highlight of the match was surely the solo goal from substitute Daryl Nicol which took him from his own half to rounding the home keeper and net from a tight angle.
Hopefully Montrose can take heart from the victory and finally record their first win of the season in the league.
After the heartbreak of the 5 – 4 home defeat by Stranraer on Saturday manager Steven Tweed made four changes to his side. In came the manager himself, captain Hugh Davidson, Sean Fleming for his first match since the 12th September and John Gemmell who had been absent since the start of December. Out went trialist Stephen McNally, Marek Tomana, Sean Anderson and cup tied Paul Tosh.
Montrose lined up with McNeil in goal, Milligan and Campbell in the full back roles with Tweed and Crighton in central defence. Fleming was on the left hand side of midfield with Maitland on the right. Hegarty partnered Davidson in the centre of midfield with Gemmell and Nicholas in attack.
Tomana, Nicol, Anderson, Leyden and goalkeeper Coutts were on the bench.
There was a healthy number of Montrose fans amongst the impressive crowd of over 1000 spectators.
The match was barely a minute old when Ian McFarland of Edinburgh City was yellow carded for a crude tackle from behind on Chris Hegarty. Crighton took the free kick Gemmell headed on but City managed to clear the danger.
In the fourth minute Alan Campbell’s cross from the left found John Gemmell but his header was straight at keeper Duncan Monteith.
Edinburgh City had their first chance in the seventh minute when Gair sent in a free kick but Caddow’s header went well over the crossbar.
Two minutes later Sean Fleming raced up the left flank and sent over a cross which Gemmell controlled before turning a firing straight at Monteith from 20 yards out.
In the tenth minute Duncan Monteith pulled off a wonderful save to turn a netbound drive from Sean Fleming around the post.
The Gable Endies kept up the pressure on the Edinburgh City goal with three corners in a row but the home defence stayed strong.
With fifteen minute gone Montrose won a free kick some twenty yards out when John Maitland was crudely chopped down. Chris Hegarty took the kick but Monteith tipped his effort around the post.
Two minutes later John Maitland played a slide rule pass through to Steven Nicholas but Monteith saved at the attacker’s feet.
The Montrose pressure paid off when they opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Andrew McNeil launched a goal kick up the park, Gemmell headed on and STEVEN NICHOLAS latched on to the ball turned his man and fired home from inside the area for his first goal in Montrose colours.
Sean Fleming became the first Montrose player to be booked in the 26th minute for an unknown offence.
Gemmell won a corner kick for Montrose two minutes later which Hegarty swung over only for Alan Campbell to head over.
A Hugh Davidson run was ended when Harrison handled the ball on the ground and was rightly booked by referee Colin Brown.
Despite all the pressure it was Edinburgh City who grabbed an equalizer in the 36th minute. They broke quickly from defence and when Fraser Milligan failed to clear the ball and ran into danger DOUGIE GAIR was able to play a one-two with Danny Denholm inside the area and fire low past Andrew McNeil.
Left back Kenny Ross became the third booking of the match for Edinburgh City with five minutes of the half left for a push on John Gemmell.
Two minutes into the second half Jordan Caddow got in a header which was saved by Andrew McNeil.
Steven Tweed was booked seconds later for a rash challenge on the centre circle as McFarland threatened to break clear.
Chris Hegarty then had a low effort at goal which the keeper parried but now one was on hand for the rebound.
Michael Bruce became booking number four for Edinburgh City for a foul on Chris Hegarty.
On the hour mark Edinburgh City made a change bringing on Steven Clee for Peter Stenhouse.
At the same time Montrose brought on Marek Tomana for Sean Fleming who had done well on his return to action. Tomana went to the centre of midfield with Davidson moving to the left.
A minute later Nicholas shot over from twenty yards out.
Montrose finally regained the lead in the 71st minute. A low cross from Maitland found John Gemmell whose shot from 15 yards out hit the post and rebounded along the goaline. When the cross came back in from Hugh Davidson at the far post JOHN MAITLAND rose the highest to loop a header over keeper Monteith and into the net for his second goal in two matches.
Five minutes later Montrose took off goalscoring hero Maitland and brought on Daryl Nicol in his place.
Edinburgh City won a free kick in a dangerous position which was taken by Scott Harrison but Steven Tweed cleared.
With ten minutes remaining Chris Hegarty added to the bookings tally when he was yellow carded for a strong challenge.
In the 82 minute Edinburgh City took off Danny Denholm and replaced him with Ross Guthrie.
With five minutes left Montrose put the icing on the cake with a brilliant third goal. DARYL NICOL picked up the ball in his own half on the right wing and he went on an exhilarating run which took him past four Edinburgh City players before he rounded keeper Monteith and stroked the ball home into the corner of the net.
John Gemmell then went on a surging run as Montrose looked for a fourth goal. He found Nicholas inside the area but he couldn’t get in a shot and the chance was gone.
With time running out Montrose made one final change with Jordan Leyden coming on to replace a tiring Gemmell who had put in a good shift up front.