Montrose 0 Peterhead 3

By Gary McKenzie
September 28 2002

Scottish League Division 3 - Saturday 28 September 2002 - Links Park Montrose. Montrose 0 Peterhead 3 (Roddie (14), Bain (60)(pen), Camara (74))

Montrose lined up with Jamie Campbell in goal, perhaps due to the faux pas by McGlynn which led to Morton's second goal last weekend. The game began nervously and scrappily, but Peterhead took control and took the lead after 14 minutes through Roddie. Campbell got pulled out of goal to challenge for a cross with Mo defenders and Roddie was able to shoot into an empty net.

Montrose looked gutted by this and the players struggled to come to terms with a determined Blue Toon side. Too many times the Montrose defence bypassed the midfield with long balls up the middle and the Peterhead defence mopped them up no problem. Montrose looked better when they had it on the deck, but these occasions were too few and a number of players looked disinterested. The referee was making a number if unusual decisions which must have depressed them even more.

Much of the home support were amazed that Kevin Webster was left on the bench again and the shouts for him to come on increased towards the end of the first half.

Webster appeared in place of Keith Gibson at the start of the second half and Ralph Brand moved to a more central role. Once again, Montrose looked a better side with him on the wing, but we were unable to convert anything in front of goal. Ex-Gable Endie Kevin Tindal turned the screw further when he appeared to be tripped with his back to goal in the Montrose penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot and it was a soft one. Ex-Brechin City player, Kevin Bain made no mistake with the kick and Montrose looked dead and buried.

Chris Webster was sent on in place of the ineffectual Ian Gilzean, but it was all too late. Montrose were giving the ball away and wasting possession all over the park and it was no surprise when Peterhead substitute Lamine Camara broke through the middle and drove the ball beneath Campbell to round off the rout.

For the first time this season, some of the home support were calling for John Sheran to resign. The players, particularly McKinnon and Gilzean, also came in for some angry calls.

There is no confidence at Links Park at the moment. Today's display was reminiscent of some of the performances under Tommy Campbell. Good players do not become bad ones overnight, but it will take some serious graft for Montrose to turn things around this season. There are question marks over the committment of some of the players, and further questions about why certain players do not command a starting spot also remain unanswered.

Mo team

Campbell
Craig
Ferguson
Gibson (s K Webster)
McCheyne
McQuillan
Brand
Johnson
Kerrigan
Gilzean (s C Webster)
McKinnon


Elsewhere in Angus...

QOS 2 Arbroath 2
Raith 3 Brechin 1
Stranraer 2 Forfar 0