Pre Season Friendly
Saturday 24th July 2010
Peterhead 5 Montrose 0

The new 2010/11 season got underway for Montrose Football club on Saturday and it got off to a disastrous start as the Gable Endies crashed to another heavy defeat at the hands of second division Peterhead in the Alba ChallengeCup First Round.
The result now means that Montrose have lost their last three competitive fixtures by scores of 5 – 0, 5- 2 and 5 – 0. This following on from three pre season defeats with only one goal scored it hasn’t been the best of times results wise for Montrose.
On Saturday they played reasonably well in spells but at the end of the day defensive mistakes and the lack of firepower once again was their downfall.
Manager Steven Tweed will certainly have to add to his small squad before the season starts for real on August 7th against Queen’s Park or Montrose and their long suffering fans are in for another difficult season.
For the first competitive match of the season Montrose lined up with new signing Scott Bennett in goal behind a back four of full backs McNally and Pope and central defenders Campbell and Crighton. Another summer signing Nicky Smith was on the right hand side of midfield with Davidson and Hegarty in the middle and Fleming on the left. Player/Coach Paul Tosh was up front alongside Daryl Nicol.
The four man bench consisted of Sinclair, Collier, Tweed and another new signing goalkeeper Sandy Wood.
Both Terry Masson and Fraser Milligan were ruled out due to injury.
It was Montrose who got season underway at a blustery Balmoor Stadium on Saturday looking to avenge a 6 – 0 defeat at the same venue, in the same ALBA Cup competition two years earlier.
A quickly taken throw in early in the match from Davidson almost put Nicol in but the home defence cleared.
In the fourth minute Sharp outpaced Pope and won a corner kick which was taken by Moore but goalkeeper Scott Bennett rose up to collect the ball.
Ex Gable Endie favourite Graeme Sharp was causing havoc down the Montrose left and Pope again took on Pope and won a corner kick. This time Moore’s corner kick into the Montrose box was halted after the referee Beaton awarded a free kick.
In the seventh minute Peterhead opened the scoring. Full back David Donald went on a surging run into the box and played the ball to DENNIS WYNESS and his cross to the back post sailed over the head of goalkeeper Scott Bennett and into the far corner of the net.
Two minutes later Peterhead almost made it two this time Donald touched the ball back to Neil McVittie whose shot on the run beat Bennett only to smack off the crossbar and go over.
A minute later Montrose had a half chance when the ball fell to Paul Tosh but his effort went into the side netting.
A great ball over the top from Hugh Davidson put in Daryl Nicol but the youngster couldn’t control the ball at the last minute and the chance was gone.
Full back Stephen McNally was next to have a go at goal but his effort from long range went straight into the arms of Paul Jarvie.
In the 17th minute Montrose won a free kick when Hegarty was fouled by Moore. The visitors took the kick quickly and when the ball was played out wide to Fleming his cross went out of play.
Montrose were having the better of the play and won another free kick when Smith was fouled. Nicol flicked the ball to Stephen McNally and his shot was blocked by the Peterhead defence.
On the half hour mark Peterhead won a corner kick when McNally halted a surging run, once again into the box by Sharp. Moore swung over the kick and Bennett got up well to hold.
Two minutes later Bennett did well to hold a diving header from Sharp.
In the 37th minute Montrose carved out another good opportunity. A Pope pass inside found Nicol and his first time pass put through Davidson but Peterhead managed to clear the ball at the last moment.
With five minutes of the half remaining Montrose were inches away from an equaliser. A Bennett goal kick caught in the wind and hit off the head of a Peterhead and was heading into the top corner until Jarvie somehow got his hand to the ball and tipped it over the crossbar at the last minute. Smith took the resultant corner kick but Jarvie held onto the ball.
Two minutes later Campbell crossed to the far post where Paul Tosh met the ball first time but he didn’t catch the ball cleanly and volleyed over the bar from a difficult angle.
On the stroke of the interval Montrose carved out another opportunity when Pope fired over a good cross but the unmarked Nicol could only send his header wide of goal.
In the 47th minute Fleming won Montrose a corner kick, which Hegarty took, but the home defence easily cleared.
Peterhead raced up the field and won a corner kick of their own which was taken by Moore. It found the head of Calum McDonald who out jumped Pope to the ball and in trying to clear ex Peterhead player STEPHEN McNALLY could only fire the ball into the roof of his own net.
In the 55th minute a great run from Sharp took him clear once again of the Montrose defence and his pass across goal found no takers and went out for a bye kick.
But Sharp wasn’t to do out done and seconds later he set up a third goal as Montrose began to cave in. His cross to the edge of the area found DENNIS WYNESS who swept the ball under Bennett for his second goal of the afternoon.
Montrose tried to hit back and two minutes later a run and cross from Tosh set up Davidson but he could only shoot wide of goal.
On the hour mark Peterhead should have made it four when Graeme Sharp found himself unmarked eight yards out after a bad punch from Bennett had landed at his feet but he could only blast the ball over.
It the 66th minute Peterhead made it four after another mistake from new goalkeeper Scott Bennett. PAUL EMSLIE saw the keeper off his line and from inside his own half he blasted the ball over the back tracking keeper’s head and into the net for an embarrassing goal for Montrose to loose.
Montrose then made their first switch of the afternoon bringing on Aaron Sinclair for Sean Fleming.
Five minutes later James Collier came on to replace Chris Hegarty who had been injured in a crunching tackle from Daniel Moore.
Wyness almost completed his hat trick for Peterhead in the 72nd minute but his lob which had Bennett beaten hit of the post.
Montrose should have been awarded a spot kick in the 74th minute when Daryl Nicol appeared to be held back in the box, but credit to the Montrose player he stayed on his feet and got in a shot so referee Beaton waved play on.
McDonald had been injured in the build up and he was taken off and replaced by Strachan.
In the 77th minute Peterhead scored a fifth, Sean Crighton totally misjudged the bounce of the ball and gave Martin Bavidge a clear run at goal Alan Campbell got back to get in what appeared to be a saving tackle inside the area but the ball broke back kindly to the striker and he knocked the ball home.
Peterhead then took off Sharp and brought on Connor Gethins.
Stephen McNally completed a frustrating afternoon for Montrose when he became the only booking of the match for a trip on Wyness.
Wyness was still looking for his hat trick and Bennett tipped his shot on the turn with five minutes remaining over the crossbar.
Martin Bavidge became the final substitution by Peterhead when Bruce replaced him.
The final action of the game saw Wyness set up full back Donald for a crack at goal but he blasted the ball over.

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