SO NEAR SO FAR V FORFAR

By Gary McKenzie
July 23 2003

Friendly. Tuesday 22 July 2003, Links Park, Montrose. Montrose 1 (Smart (pen., 38), Forfar Athletic 3 (Taylor (46,54), Tosh (67)).

Forfar took the field in a grubby golden away strip (unwashed East Fife?) and Montrose took the initiative straight away. Montroase were playing in an unfamiliar formation with Martin Wood playing in the hole just behind the front two of Smart and Moffat. Fergie started where he finished on Saturday in the centre half position, with Thomson playing at left back.

Montrose played the best footall of the friendly games so far, and the Forfar defence struggled to deal with the movement of Smart, Wood and Henderson who was causing problems on the right wing.

Montrose were unlucky not to go ahead when Stephen bulleted a header just over the bar.

However, the pressure paid off on 38 minutes when Henderson was pushed over in the box by Maltese international Vella, and the ref pointed immediately to the spot.

Smartie hit the ball high into the net for his 2nd in two games, and the Mo were leading a match for the first time in this suite of friendlies.

Forfar looked buried at this point, but brought on Tosh and McLune at the start of the second half and Montrose replaced Thomson with Narey and went to a conventional 4-4-2.

Ex Gable Endie, Scott Taylor headed home the equaliser as I was heading back from the pie shop.

Forfar edged in front through Taylor and Tosh wrapped it up with a first time drive on 67 mins.

We looked fantastic in the first half and awful in the second. Let's hope we can get a win and a few goals against Rothes on Thursday.

Teams

Mo

Hankinson, Donachie, Ferguson, Gibson, Stephen, Farnan, Henderson, Wood, Smart, Moffat (trialist), Thomson

Subs

Webster, Narey, Lindsay, Glipin (trialist)

Forfar

Brown, Rattray, Lowing, Vella, Stewart, Henderson, Sellars, Lunan, Taylor, Hodge, Horn

Subs

Florence, Maher, Tosh, McLune, Ferrie