IRN BRU Scottish Football League
Division Three
Saturday 12th November 2011
Stranraer 4 Montrose 4

On their 100th league meeting at Stair Park on Saturday between Stranraer and Montrose served up an absolute thriller in what can only be described as the division’s game of the season so far.
With 64 minutes gone Montrose were four goals behind and facing the long haul up the road pointless. The game then changed when Sean Pierce was sent crashing to the ground inside the box by the home keeper David Mitchell, who was sent off. Pierce then netted the resultant penalty and kick started a spell of four goals in ten minutes by the Gable Endies which saw then turn the match around.
This was an amazing match who must have left manager Ray Farningham scratching his head in amazement wondering how his side can be so poor at the back over an hour and then totally turn the game around with some excellent forward play. The home side just collapsed and Montrose punished them.
The sides over the last couple of season’s have turned in some amazing matches in season 2009/10 Montrose led 4 – 2 with fifteen minutes left before losing 5 – 4 while last season the Gable Endies were 3 – 0 down at half time before coming back to draw the match 3 – 3.
Montrose must now look to take the positives from this match into Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie at Ayr United.
After the 3 – 1 midweek defeat at Elgin City, Montrose made two changes to their line up in came Stephen McNally and Paul Lunan in place of Terry Masson and Sean Pierce who both dropped to the bench.
The home side won a corner kick in the opening minute of the match which was taken by Chris Aitken but Sean Crighton managed to make the clearance.
Stranraer opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Malcolm found SEAN WINTER who chested the ball down and from inside the box he shot into bottom right corner of the goal.
Montrose tried to hit back immediately and won a corner from the right by-line which was taken by Douglas Cameron but Sean Winter manages to make a clearance.
Two minutes later an out swinging corner taken from the right by Jamie Winter found the head of Sean Crighton but he missed the target and the ball went wide of Mitchell’s far post.
A free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Lunan on Grant Gallagher gave the home side a free kick in a dangerous position but Chris Aitken free kick went past the post.
In the 13th minute Chris Aitken had an effort at goal from outside the area but his effort went wide of the far post.
Montrose went further behind in the 18th minute Aitken took an out swinging corner from the right by-line to the near post Jamie Winter cleared but only as far as CRAIG MALCOLM who shot into the bottom corner from close range.
The Gable Endies nightmare start to the match continued in the next minute when Stranraer’s CRAIG MALCOLM was allowed too much time inside the box to score his second of the afternoon and the home side’s third goal of the afternoon from a Grehan cross.
With 22 minutes gone Montrose won a free kick when Paul Lunan was challenged unfairly by Gallagher. Jamie Winter lined up the free kick but his effort was saved by David Mitchell in the home goal.
Montrose tried to hit back again and in the next minute Winter again shot wide of the far post from inside the area.
In the 25th minute Montrose made a tactical substitution with Sean Pierce coming on to replace Jonathan Crawford. Pierce moved onto the left hand side of the midfield to give more support to Douglas Cameron.
Sean Pierce was quickly into action but David Mitchell got down to save his effort.
Chris Aitken then swung over a free kick for Stranraer but Jonathan Smart headed clear.
With 34 minutes gone new Stranraer striker Martin Grehan gets in a shot but Michael Andrews pulled off a great save to keep the score line down to three.
Two minutes later an in swinging corner from Jamie Winter was cleared by his namesake Sean has the Gable Endies tried to pull a goal back before the interval.
Stranraer then forced a couple of corner kicks but firstly Douglas Cameron then Smart cleared the danger as Montrose went off at half time lucky to be only three goals down after a poor first half display.
Midfield playmaker Chris Aitken had the first effort of the second half for Stranraer but his shot went harmlessly over Andrews’s crossbar.
It looked to be game over for Montrose in the 53rd minute when Stranraer scored a fourth goal. MARTIN GREHAN found the bottom corner of the net after he received a pass from Scott Taggart.
Midfielder Stephen Stirling then had Stranraer’s next chance but his effort went high over the crossbar.
In the 57th minute a free kick awarded to Montrose for an unfair challenge on Martin Boyle by Frank McKeown. Douglas Cameron crosses the ball into the box from the resultant free kick only for David Mitchell to pull off the save. The corner is taken by Jamie Winter but again David Mitchell makes the save.
In the next minute Stranraer make their first substitution of the afternoon with John Kane coming on to replace Steven Noble.
Montrose grabbed a goal back in the 64th minute when Sean Pierce was brought down inside the area by Stranraer keeper David Mitchell. The home keeper was shown the red card by referee Don Robertson for the professional foul. Before the penalty kick could be taken the home side took off Grehan and replaced him with Ryan Marshall. SEAN PIERCE stepped up to make his usual excellent job from the penalty spot.
The assistant referee then raised his flag for offside against Martin Boyle.
Montrose continued their fight back and in the 69th minute they had their second of the afternoon and again it was substitute SEAN PIERCE who was on the mark. He gathered a pass from Boyle and his shot squirmed under substitute goalkeeper Marshall from close range.
The unthinkable became a possibility when sixty seconds later Montrose struck again. This time it was JAMIE WINTER who netted with a tremendous strike from 35 yards out to give Montrose their third goal of the afternoon. It was Winter’s third goal of the season.
The unbelievable happened in the 74th minute when Montrose completed the comeback of the season, this or any other when they scored a fourth goal. Grant Gallagher gave away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Sean Pierce. McNally’s free kick was blocked but only as far as that man JAMIE WINTER and he found the net with a low effort which beat Marshall all ends up. The goal sent the Montrose players and dugout into wild celebration and left Stranraer stunned.
Stranraer made their final change of the match in the next minute with Stuart McColm coming on for Grant Gallagher.
Jamie Winter almost completed his hat trick in the 79th minute when he let fly from distance with his right foot but the ball went just wide with Marshall once again well beaten.
Scott Johnston was then fouled by David McGregor, Jamie Winter saw his free kick well saved by Marshall.
Martin Boyle thought he was through on goal but his run was cut short when the offside flag was raised.
In the 83rd minute Sean Pierce was fouled by Scott Taggart referee Don Robertson awarded a free kick and booked Taggart. Winter fired in a strike on goal direct from the free kick, but Scott Taggart got in a block. The resultant in swinging corner was taken right-footed by Winter from the left by-line to the near post but John Kane made a clearance.
Three minutes later Stranraer won a corner of their own but Crighton got up to clear from Aitken’s kick.
With two minutes left Montrose made a second substitution of the afternoon with Terry Masson coming on to replace two goal hero Jamie Winter.
On full time Scott Johnston was caught offside as the Gable Endies pressed for a fifth goal.
Stuart McColm then became the second Stranraer player to go into the referee’s book.
In the second minute of stoppage time Montrose had one last chance when they won a corner kick. Cameron swung over the kick only for John Kane to clear the danger.
This was some match and all credit must go to the Montrose players who fought back from four goals down with some 25 minutes remaining to grab a point against all the odds at Stair Park. It will be a match that will be longed remembered by both sets of supporters for different reasons!

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