LOONS LOSE TO MIGHTY MO!

Take 5...
By Gary McKenzie at Station Park
November 27 2004

Scottish Cup First Round, Saturday 27 November 2004, Station Park, Forfar. FORFAR ATHLETIC 1 (Tosh (83)) MONTROSE 5 (Webster (20), Smart (22), Sharp (54, 55), Dodds (70))

Timing is everything in football, as in life, and the time was right for a storming Montrose victory over local rivals, Forfar, at Station Park. Last week's postponement allowed Stuart Ferguson time to recover from injury to start at left back, although Stevie Kerrigan was out with an injury picked up at training. The Forfar side came into the match off four straight league defeats and one win in ten and with manager Ray Stewart under pressure to turn things around.

The game started scrappily with both sides toiling to get into their stride and the pouring rain making life difficult. It took eight minutes for Forfar to make the first chance, a freekick being deflected over for a corner to the home side. Barry Donachie did well to clear the resultant Forfar chance off the line.

In 12 minutes, Forfar's Mathu King took a sore one in the centre circle and looked groggy as he went off for treatment, but he returned to the action. Forfar were looking more dangerous at this point, making progress in the middle without forming any cear cut chances.

However, Montrose soaked up this pressure and began to make inroads to a shaky-looking home defence.  In 15 minutes, Wood went close with a shot that was saved. The opener came after 20 minutes when WEBSTER slotted one home from the edge of the box after a good Montrose move on the right.

Better was to come three minutes later when SMART picked up a loose ball at the edge of the box, beat a couple of defenders and fired home a fine solo effort.

In 24 minutes, Smart was booked for a late challenge in the centre circle.

Graeme Sharp began to make his mark on the home defence and fired just wide on 25 minutes and sent the ball over from a Wood cross 2 minutes later.

Butter had to look lively at the other end on the half hour as he dived to save a header. Then Woody went close again and Forfar managed to clear it off the line.

Forfar's fragile confidence had disappeared by this stage, and it was all Montrose.

On 35 minutes, Mathu King was replaced by Shields for Forfar as they looked for a way past a resolute Montrose defence.

Two minutes later, the Forfar keeper looked to have made a mess of a Webster shot but gathered at the second attempt. It may well have taken a deflection on the way.

We were pleasantly surprised to be two up at half-time, but fully deserved it after some fine attacking play. The one Forfar supporter with any sense of humour left by this time summed it up with the best quip of the day aimed at his beleaguered defence - "You couldnae tackle a small bridie!"

Forfar fans were voicing loudly their dissatisfaction with the team and the manager and worse was to come for them in the second period.

A minute into the second half, Webster just fired wide after Sharpy passed up a good chance to score.

The match was effectively sewn up by Montrose dangerman SHARP after 54 minutes when he capitalised on a defensive blunder to run through and poke home a fine solo effort.

A minute later and it was four when that man SHARP again ran on to a fine ball and the home keeper could only get fingertips to the strike.

In 57 minutes, Woody almost made it five but the keeper managed to gather this time.

In 62 minutes, Lowing was booked for a bad tackle, and Forfar sent on Booth and Clark for Lunan and Stein. The referee was lenient a minute later when the Forfar number 14 made a dreadful challenge but the substitute escaped with a word from the referee.

DODDS finished off another magical Montrose move after 70 minutes and the rout was complete.

Henry Hall used all three substitutes in a couple of minutes when Watson, Budd and Smith replaced Hall, Stephen and Webster for the final quarter of an hour.

TOSH managed to claw a goal back for Forfar on 83 minutes, but many of the home fans won't have seen it as they had gone home by that time, to a resounding "Cheerio" from the fans at the away end.

With seconds remaining, Smith tried a spectacular flying volley which went just over from a Wood cross.

This was Montrose's day, and, although we have played better, the match will remain in our memories for a long time to come. Keith beckons in the next round, and while we should give them our full respect, we must fancy ourselves to progress.

Shortly after the game, Forfar's official website announced Ray Stewart's resignation. See the full story here: http://www.forfarathletic.co.uk/official/news.php?id=157&season=2004 

Forfar

Creer, Rattray, Lowing, Forrest, David King, Lunan, Sellars, McClune, Tosh, Mathu King, Stein
 
Subs: Cameron, Ferrie, Booth, Shields, Clark

Montrose:

Butter, Donachie, Ferguson, Doyle, Stephen, Dodds, Webster, Smart, Wood, Hall, Sharp
 
Subs: Slater, Hankinson, Budd, Smith, Watson

Alternative Match Reports

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/4044451.stm
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=169444&cc=5739
http://www.montrose-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=190209
http://www.forfarathletic.co.uk/official/report.php?id=48&memory=0&PHPSESSID=0fef5dcf6e374cb1a28f3c65dd2c1d43