IRN BRU Scottish Football League
Division Three
Tuesady 16th March 2010
Montrose 4 Forfar Athletic 0

Montrose’s long wait for a home league win came to an end in spectacular fashion in a derby day destruction of Forfar.
Two goals from John Gemmell, alongside strikes from Aaron Sinclair and Fraser Milligan, sank the Loons, Montrose winning convincingly despite playing the whole of the second half with 10 men.
The match was action-packed from start to finish, with both sides attacking throughout. Montrose’s opener came in the 26th minute, Fraser Milligan sprinting to the right-hand byeline before crossing. The ball bounced in front of the six yard box, where Aaron Sinclair stooped to nod beyond Alistair Brown.
Chris Hegarty received a yellow card for a foul two minutes later, an incident that would prove to be crucial in first half injury time. Having been awarded a free kick, Hegarty tried to take the set piece quickly, but instead slammed the ball off the shins of a nearby Forfar player. Whether he was booked for kicking the ball at the opposition player or for protesting to the referee was unclear, but Hegarty was nevertheless dismissed for a second bookable offence.
While the incident could have had serious repercussions for the home side, they incredibly found themselves two goals ahead before half time, John Gemmell capitalising on a quickly-taken free kick to leave the Forfar backline flatfooted and shoot low across Brown into the bottom corner.
With their backs to the wall in the second half, 10-man Montrose could have been forgiven for surrendering the lead, but instead they killed the game off with quarter of an hour remaining. Stephen McNally burst down the left wing on the counter attack before sending a perfectly-weighted crossfield ball into the path of Fraser Milligan. The winger continued his run towards the on-rushing Brown, then sent an expertly-floated lob over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net from the edge of the box.
The rout was completed two minutes from time when Gemmell was sent clear of the Forfar defence by Sinclair, the striker finding time and the composure to slip the ball under Brown and into the bottom corner.
It was no less than Montrose deserved, the home side having defended solidly throughout despite Forfar’s numerical advantage.
Both sides created plenty of chances, Forfar looking the dominant side for long periods. As early as the fourth minute, Bryan Deasley had a low drive deflected wide. Montrose also had chances early on, Gemmell forcing the erratic Brown into a save in the 10th minute.
Forfar’s wastefulness would come back to haunt them later, and Barry Sellars had no excuse for failing to give the visitors the lead in the 19th minute. An Ian Harty shot was blocked in the box by Steven Tweed, falling to Sellars on the penalty spot. With time to set himself, the striker somehow managed to slam his shot high over the crossbar. A Nicky Smith volley from the edge of the box was also deflected over the crossbar five minutes later.
Having taken the lead, Montrose came close to doubling their advantage in the 37th minute, Milligan sending a low ball into the box only for Mark McCulloch to boot the ball clear from Sinclair’s foot.
Forfar squandered another fantastic chance in the 40th minute when Sellars forced Andrew McNeil to make an acrobatic save from a free kick. The goalkeeper palmed the ball to the feet of Deasley, who somehow sent the ball wide of the post from two yards out.
Montrose started the second half with Paul Tosh moved from attack to midfield in place of the red-carded Hegarty. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Montrose came close to adding a third goal within seconds of the restart, Gemmell scooping a shot wide from the edge of the box. Gemmell had another chance in the 55th minute, heading Sinclair’s cross straight at Brown from six yards out.
Milligan, having an excellent game at right wing, could also have added a third in the 59th minute when he was released by Sinclair, setting off on a mazy dribble through the heart of Forfar’s midfield and defence. Finding himself clear on the edge of the box, he could only shoot over the crossbar.
Forfar continued to pass up goalscoring opportunities, substitute Ross Campbell shooting straight at McNeil from 12 yards out in the 71st minute.
Gemmell and Milligan gave Forfar a warning in the 73rd minute, just a minute before adding Montrose’s third. Gemmell burst through on goal, firing the ball against Brown. Milligan was first to the rebound, but could only shoot over the crossbar.
Having gone three goals down, Forfar were reduced to long-range efforts, Sellars forcing McNeil into a diving save five minutes before Montrose’s fourth goal finished the match.

Match Report by Mark Rae