IRN BRU Scottish Football League
Division Three
Tuesday 13th October 2009
Montrose 1 Queen's Park 2

DESPITE a spirited performance against Queen’s Park, Montrose were unable to secure a first win of the season, succumbing to two first half goals.
Paul Quinn opened the scoring in the eleventh minute when he found himself unmarked in the box, firing Michael O’Hara’s cross from the right wing in off the post. O’Hara himself added a second quarter of an hour later, sending a low drive into Andrew McNeil’s net after a series of scrambles in the Montrose area.
Marek Tomana grabbed a goal that threatened to kickstart a Montrose revival with an hour gone, turning the ball into the net after Scott Black had parried Aaron Sinclair’s 25-yard free kick. Despite increasing the pressure on their visitors as the match petered out, Montrose were unable to find a much-deserved equaliser.
Heavy rain made the artificial Links Park pitch slick, and the match was played at a frenzied pace throughout. Montrose could have taken the lead as early as the first minute, Sinclair forcing Black into a diving save with an expertly curled free kick.
Tomana’s close control was also a threat, the Slovakian playmaker causing chaos in the Queen’s Park ranks in the 10th minute when he slalomed through the centre of the park. He was finally denied with a last-ditch block tackle from Steven Reilly.
Although Montrose had dominated in the opening 10 minutes, they found themselves a goal down just a minute later, slack marking allowing Quinn to score for the Hampden side.
Montrose looked shellshocked immediately after the goal, with Andrew McNeil forced to save from Martin McBride.
The home players refused to surrender though, and were cruelly denied by the woodwork twice inside a minute. Player-manager Steven Tweed headed a corner against the right-hand post, Queen’s Park scrambling the ball as far as Tomana, who sent a crashing drive against the opposite post.
The double let-off was especially timely for Queen’s Park, who found themselves two goals ahead just five minutes later. Montrose failed to clear their box, O’Hara slamming home from the penalty spot.
O’Hara came close again in the 33rd minute, turning Crighton and shooting over from 25 yards, while McBride was also unlucky, his shot curling wide with McNeil beaten.
Montrose continued to seek a route back into the match, Sinclair sending a low drive across goal and narrowly wide in the 36th minute and Ryan Stewart volleying over from the edge of the box minutes later.
The start of the second half saw McNeil called into action to deny Quinn a second with a fingertip save, while Jordan Leyden went close for Montrose, bursting down the right before lashing a shot into the side netting.
Tomana’s goal finally arrived a minute later, the midfielder reacting well to reach the loose ball first.
From that point onwards, Montrose pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Sean Anderson drilling a free kick over the crossbar. But with so many resources committed to attack, the home side were left vulnerable at the back. They should have paid the price in the 67th minute when Crighton’s slack control on the edge of the six-yard box saw him dispossessed by McBride. From practically underneath the crossbar, the striker somehow contrived to send his shot wide of the target.
Anderson again came close in the 72nd minute, heading a Tomana cross over the crossbar.
With time running out, Sinclair had a long shot held, while McNeil did well to take a Lachlan strike.
In the dying minutes, Montrose had a penalty claim turned down when Leyden appeared to be fouled on the edge of the box.

Match Report by Mark Rae