IRN BRU Scottish Football League
Division Three
Saturday 10th December 2011
Annan Athletic 2 Montrose 1

Montrose Football Club again matched a top two side on Saturday but came away pointless from Galabank after giving ten man Annan Athletic a two goal start before they fought themselves back into the match.
A 54th minutes red card to Annan’s Aaron Muirhead for a last man foul on Martin Boyle resulted in a Gable Endies penalty kick which was expertly converted by Jamie Winter unfortunately despite their best efforts Ray Farningham’s team just couldn’t get the equalising goal their play deserved.
On a pitch that was barely playable due to heavy rain it was the home side who did enough to remain top of the table despite Montrose again having the majority of the play.
Montrose must look to start converting more of the chances that come their way as they look to start making moves up the league table.
After the draw with Alloa Athletic the previous week Ray Farningham kept an unchanged line up but switched to a 4 – 4 – 2 formation. This meant that Sandy Wood was retained in goal. The back four saw Crighton and Cameron in the full back positions with Smart and Lunan in central defence. McNally was on the right hand side of midfield with Lloyd Young on the left. Masson and Winter were in the centre of midfield. Boyle partnered Johnston in attack. On the bench for Montrose were Crawford, Pierce, McGowan, McPhee and goalkeeper Michael Andrews.
It was the home side who got the match started on a gluepot of a pitch and immediately had a good scoring chance. A mistake let in Sean O’ Connor but from the edge of the area he dragged his shot wide of Wood’s goal.
Seconds later Montrose had an opportunity themselves. McNally crossed from the right and Masson, then Young and Johnston all had shots blocked as the home defence struggled to keep the ball out of the net.
In the fourth minute Cameron used route one to lob the ball forward to Martin Boyle but the flag was raised quickly by far side assistant Brian McGarry.
Two minutes later the Gable Endies had another good opportunity a poor kick out by keeper Alex Mitchell went straight to the feet of Winter whose first time ball put through Boyle and the youngster raced clear only to shoot over the bar.
With eight minutes gone a sliced pass from Muirhead put Steven Sloan clear on the right he cut in side Cameron and from the edge of the box Wood had to get down well to tip his low effort around the post. Boyle cleared the resultant corner from Cox.
It was end to end stuff on the quagmire and next Annan Athletic had a chance when a clearance put in O’Connor but again Sandy Wood pulled off a great save.
In the 13th minute Montrose won a free kick some 25 yards out when Johnston was held back but Jamie Winter could only slice his kick well wide of goal.
Montrose thought they had opened the scoring in the 15th minute. Annan Athletic cleared a corner from Winter but only as far as Young who was brought down. Cameron swung over the free kick Johnston headed on an Martin Boyle came in at the far post to slam the ball into the roof of the net, only for assistant McGarry to raise his flag for offside. It did seem a close call as Boyle appeared to come from behind his marker.
With twenty minutes gone Annan Athletic had another great chance Steven Sloan again cut inside Cameron but this time his shot had air on it and Wood was able to tip the ball over the crossbar. From Cox’s corner Wood was fouled and the danger was gone.
The home side went close six minutes later and it was again Sloan who caused Montrose the danger with a low effort from the edge of the box that smacked off the post with Wood beaten.
On the half hour mark Montrose created another opportunity when Johnston squared to his strike partner Boyle and his shot was blocked for a corner. Cameron sent over an in swinging corner that keeper Mitchell held well.
It was the home side who opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. SEAN O’CONNOR was allowed to turn and get in a shot by Smart and his right foot effort found the bottom corner for Annan’s first goal in five games.
It got worse for Montrose two minutes later when the home side scored again. This time a passing move saw Harty lay the ball off into the path of O’CONNOR and he sent a first time shot into the top corner with Wood well beaten.
Captain Douglas Cameron was then booked for what must have been dissent towards referee Greig Aitken after Montrose weren’t awarded a free kick after McNally was clearly fouled.
Montrose restarted the second half and immediately had an opportunity. Cameron swung over a cross wide to Winter he found McNally inside the box and from a wide position he sent a low effort inches wide of the far post.
In the next minute ex Montrose player David Cox swung over a free kick from the left but centre half Peter Watson could only send a header into the arms of Wood.
In the 48th minute Annan Athletic defender Scott Gibson was booked for a foul on Lloyd Young.
Jamie Winter took the resultant free kick for Montrose the ball found Johnston inside the area with his back to goal and he turned and clipped an effort just wide of goal.
With 54th minutes gone Montrose got themselves back into the match when they were awarded a penalty kick. Crighton whipped a cross into the area and Muirhead pulled Martin Boyle down to the ground as the striker tried to turn inside the six yard area. Referee Aitken immediately showed the red card to Muirhead reducing Annan Athletic to ten men and pointed to the spot.
JAMIE WINTER stepped up to take the penalty and blasted the ball home for his seventh goal of the season.
Montrose started to push forward in search of an equaliser and McNally set up Crighton on the overlap and his cross was flicked over the crossbar at the near post by Boyle.
On the hour mark Montrose wasted another good opportunity to equalise. This time Terry Masson played a great pass wide to Johnston he skipped past McGowan and into the penalty area his low cross just required a touch but Boyle missed and the ball fell kindly to Masson a couple of yards out and he could only blast the ball over from point blank range.
Two minutes later and Cameron cross from the left was hit first time on the volley by McNally but his effort went wide of goal.
Seconds later Terry Masson became the second Montrose player to be yellow carded for a crunching midfield tackle on former Stranraer midfielder Danny Mitchell.
The next booking came five minutes later Boyle tried to run clear on a McNally through ball but he was held back by Peter Watson who was yellow carded by referee Aitken.
From Winter’s free kick Jonathan Smart headed wide of goal and another chance was gone.
In the next minute Annan Athletic made a first change of the afternoon taking off two goal Sean O’Connor and bringing on Jordan McKechnie in his place.
McNally was at the heart of everything for Montrose as they went in search of a deserved equaliser and he was next to have a go at goal when keeper Alex Mitchell held his header from a Lunan cross.
In the 70th minute Martin Boyle picked up a yellow card after he went head to head with an Annan Athletic player after another solid tackle on the youngster that he didn’t like.
Three minutes later Annan’s left back Michael McGowan picked up the sixth booking of the match when he completely missed the ball and kicked Scott Johnston on the leg instead.
With fifteen minutes to go Montrose went three up front when Steven McPhee came on in place of Young. Boyle moved to the right with Johnston going central and McPhee taking up a left wing position.
It almost paid off when McNally again sent Boyle scampering up the right and his low cross again just required a touch but McPhee just missed the ball and another chance went begging.
With ten minutes remaining Annan had a rare attack and won a corner kick taken by Cox but Jonathan Smart cleared the danger for Montrose.
In the 85th minute the home side made another change taking off David Cox and bringing on midfielder Bryan Gilfillan.
Raymond Farningham went all for it the following minute when he took off Sean Crighton and brought on Sean Pierce. This meant three at the back Lunan, Smart and Cameron with Pierce pushed upfront as a fourth attacker.
Montrose’s last chance to snatch a point came with two minutes remaining when McPhee won a corner kick which Winter took, Annan cleared Winter got a second opportunity. This time the goalscorer found Paul Lunan but he could only shoot wide and with that a chance of a deserved point.

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