ROPEY V ROTHES

By Gary McKenzie
July 25 2003

Friendly. Thursday 24 July 2003, Links Park, Montrose. Montrose 2 (Watson (23, 47) Rothes 1(Grant 55). Montrose's last home friendly of pre-season at last ends in a win for the Endies...

The Montrose team in this game could legitimately have been described as a "Montrose Futures" team since it featured most if not all of the youngest players on the books at the moment.

However, youth was not to have it all its own way, and the game developed into a scrappy affair, with neither team really taking control.

However, on 23 minutes, trialist Calum Watson opened the scoring with a fine goal. He cut inside from the left wing, beating two players and skelped a shot just inside the keeper's far post.

That settled the jangling nerves a little and it stayed that way until half-time.

The Montrose Futures idea took a bit of a knock as veteran keeper Jim Butter replaced Gilpin in the goal, raising the average age of the Mo considerably with one fell swoop. The tousle-haired Atagan replaced Neil Stephen and Budd moved back into defence.

Watson grabbed his second in 47 minutes, again expertly taken, when he managed to control a Webster cross and volleyed it high into the Rothes net giving the keeper no chance.

Budd was then replaced by Lannen.

Montrose relaxed a little too much and Rothes pulled one back when Grant rose at the far post from a corner to nod home a simple chance on 55 minutes and the game was well and truly back on.

Henderson replaced Lindsay for the last 25 minutes.

So, a win at last, but it was an unconvincing display.

Teams
Mo
Gilpin (trialist), Narey, Thomson, Stephen, Stewart, Budd, Webster, Hall (trialist), Watson (trialist), Lindsay, Sharp

Subs
Atagan (trialist), Lannen, Henderson, Butter

Rothes
Strong, McCrae, Shortreed, Esson, Grant, Smith, Hamilton, Keith, Ord, Cameron, Green

Subs
Forbes, Miller, Simpson, Gee, Elliot