IRN-BRU Scottish Football League
Tuesday 9th November 2010
Annan Athletic 2 Montrose 2

Montrose deserved a point in this game and got it following a strong second half comeback. A cold night at Galabank but little wind and thankfully no rain or worse. Annan played down the slope in the first half and at a fast pace which had Montrose on the back foot from the off. Just as you thought the early storm had been weathered along came a goal more or less out of nothing in the 25th minute. A long hopeful looping cross from the right was not dealt with and the smallest lad on the park David Cox was at the back post to tuck it away – 1-0 Annan.
The home side continued to look lively particularly Sloan on the right wing though Ross McCord had our first shot on 28 minutes when cutting in from the right but the ball arrowed over the bar, out of the ground and was never seen again. Then a mini spell of Montrose pressure paid off. A McCord corner from the right came to nothing but soon after another McCord corner this time from the left was met by Alan Campbell from about the penalty spot and he sent a powerful header through a ruck of players into the net – 1-1 after 38 minutes.
In the 41st minute Annan regained the lead but it has to be said with poor defensive marking by Montrose. A corner from the right was met full on by fullback Muirhead on the edge of the six yard box right in the middle of goal. No challenge and he sent a powerful header into the centre of the net – 2-1 Annan at half time and just about deserved on the balance of play.
The second half started with Annan again piling on the pressure and it was vital Montrose did not concede again. We didn’t, and the back line, all of them did well as a unit in this 45 minutes. The midfield came more into it against a strong Annan midfield who faded as the game wore on. After weathering the first five minutes or more of the second half you could sense a change as Montrose grew in stature and determination. Increasingly they took hold of the game with Paul Tosh getting more involved as well. Playing downhill was probably more to his liking at his ‘tender’ age! Then the master stroke. In the 52nd minute Steven Tweed brought on Martin Boyle for Aaron Sinclair who was having a poor game by his standards. Thomson moved out left to allow Boyle to scamper all over the place and scamper he did from the off. He chased a long ball down the right outpacing the home defence with ease, cut along the goal line picked out Tosh coming in at the far post and wham it was 2-2 on 59 minutes.
From the restart Ian Harty missed a sitter for Annan and that was more or less the last home chance of any note. The last 30 minutes was played out with Chris Hegarty having a go from distance twice, McCord also having a go and Steven McNally trying his luck as he too saw more of the ball. In the 68th minute an Annan defender appeared to drag the ball along the ground with his arm in the penalty area but there were no appeals although the home crowd went silent. Anyway nothing given by referee Gary Hilland who had a very good game otherwise.
Milligan replace Pope in the 75th minute and Annan made a double substitution minutes later with Gilfillan and Sloan off surprisingly as they were having good games. Connolly and Steele came on. In the last five minutes Tosh shot just inches wide, a McCord corner came to nothing and Daryl Nichol came on for Conor Thomson to shore up a well deserved draw for Montrose.
Praise for Steven Tweed and his management team all of which is looking much stronger. The lads on the park are also more resilient now having become a much more solid unit. Work to do yet to avoid defensive aberrations and to convert more chances up front but all in all much more of a pleasure to watch nowadays.
Crowd 377 including just 1 it appeared, Montrose fan. Man of the Match goes to Alan Campbell although impact man Martin Boyle again deserves special mention too.

Match Report by Steve Doyle