The Active Nation Scottish Cup
Third Round
Saturday 28th November 2009
Montrose 2 East Fife 1

Montrose’s first home win of the season arrived in spectacular style, the Links Park side defeating Second Division side by two goals to one, having been the better side throughout the match.
Having bombarded their visitors’ defence throughout the first half to no avail, Montrose finally opened the scoring in the 57th minute, Paul Watson sent clear in the box and given time to slam his shot beyond goalkeeper Mark Ridgers.
The lead didn’t last long though, East Fife equalising within three minutes when Jamie McCunnie flicked a corner into the box for Paul McManus to volley home at the back post.
With the match in its dying minutes, Montrose’s continued second half pressure finally paid off, substitute Daryl Nicol sending a square ball across the face of goal, John Gemmell sliding in at the back post to secure Montrose’s passage into the fourth round.
It was no less than their performance deserved, and East Fife were lucky still to be in the game at half time. Montrose pressurised their higher-division opponents throughout. Home goalkeeper Andrew McNeil also had a great game, keeping Montrose in the match on the occasions when East Fife pinned the home side back.
Montrose’s best chance of the opening spell saw them keep East Fife held back in their own box, with a series of shots blocked. That good spell finally broke down when player/manager Steven Tweed, a former East Fife captain, hooked a shot over his own head and wide of the target.
John Gemmell was a lively force throughout, and he came close in the 13th minute when he connected with a Hugh Davidson lay-off. His lobbed shot was a little too cute however, and Ridgers was alert enough to hold onto the ball.
The pace of Fraser Milligan down the right was also a constant threat to East Fife’s defence, and his long run in the 16th minute caused chaos in the visiting back line. He cut inside into the box, but his weak shot was easily held.
Paul Watson thought he had given Montrose the lead in the 22nd minute when he whipped a 25-yard free kick around the wall. Ridgers, diving desperately, fumbled the ball, finally tipping it wide of the box. From the resultant corner, Watson headed against the crossbar, Tweed heading the rebound narrowly over the bar.
Montrose seemed to sense that East Fife were there for the taking, and Sean Crighton came close minutes later when he rose at the back post to head a corner just over. Then, shortly afterwards, a quick throw saw Gemmell flick a through ball into the box for Davidson. His shot was tipped wide, and from the corner Tweed shot straight at Ridgers.
Further chances in the first half fell to Aaron Sinclair and Paul Watson, but neither could break the deadlock.
The second half started as the first had ended, with Montrose on the attack. A stramash in the East Fife box threatened to give Montrose the lead, but the home side were almost caught out when the ball was cleared long to McManus, the striker shooting wide.
Following Montrose’s goal, East Fife could have found themselves level within a minute, McCunnie hitting the crossbar from 25 yards.
After the arrival of East Fife’s equaliser, Montrose could have been forgiven for succumbing to nerves, but they coped admirably, Davidson hitting the post within five minutes of the visitors drawing level.
As tired legs took over, both sides had chances in the second half, Campbell heading a long free kick wide, and Watson sending a dipping volley whistling past the post.
Five minutes from time, Bobby Linn shot just over from the edge of the box.
Montrose gave their visitors a scare just seconds before the winner, Gemmell slipping a low shot underneath Ridgers, but Muir was on hand to clear off the line. But the near miss proved immaterial as Gemmell’s late winner sent East Fife crashing out of the cup.

Match Report by Mark Rae