(UN)HAPPY NEW YEAR

What a shower;)
By Gary McKenzie at Links Park
January 2 2005

Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 1 January 2005, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 2 (Sharp (20), Hall (32)) GRETNA 3 (Deuchar (22, 25), Budd o.g. (35)). The Mo went down fighting in this fine match at Links Park.

This one fairly swept the New Year sare heids away. The match was preceded by a couple of torrential rain showers and a minutes silence for the victims of the Asian Tsunami. Gretna were all in white with black socks, and the Mo in the usual home kit.

Montrose were not overawed by the league leaders who were just back from their winter warmer to La Manga. Kegsy set the tone with a crunching but fair tackle early on.

Gretna began the stronger, though, ans their towering front man, Kenny Deuchar sent the first real chance of the game wide from a tight angle on 9 minutes.

Montrose settled quickly, though and forced a corner on 11 minutes. We were matching Gretna and looking dangerous in midfield, Wood linking well with Hall and Kegsy in the middle of the park.

Montrose deservedly took the lead on 20 minutes when SHARP ran on to a header from Dodds at the edge of the box and epertly slotted it low past the Gretna keeper.

Gretna areen't at the top on luck, though, and they came back into the match two minutes later. A speculative cross was met by DEUCHAR's head giving Butter no chance.

The big striker's head did the damage again three minutes later when he popped up to nod home a cross from the right.

The Mo weren;t finished and on 32 minutes Doyle crossed for HALL to drive low past the Gretna keeper for an equaliser.

Disaster struck for the plucky Endies when BUDD was unfortunate enough to deflect a cross from everybody's favourite (!) Gretna player, Baldacchino, past the grabbing hands of Butter between the Mo sticks.

It could have been worse two minutes later when Butter dived to his left to spectacularly tip a shot round his left hand post.

Both teams made a substitution at half time, Webster replacing Bidd for the home side and Townsley coming on to replace Baldacchino for Gretna.

Both sides were playing good football and making chances.

On 70 minutes, the game, which had been good-natured and competitive until then, had it's only major flashpoint when Dodds and Gilfillan clashed. Dodds and Hall were then replaced by Watson and Smart as the Mo sought an equaliser.

On 77 minutes Doyle headed just wide from a Kevin Webster corner.

Montrose continued to push forward and won numerous corners.

On 86 minutes, Watson just failed to connect with a Webster cross in front of goal with the keeper stranded. Bingham and Townsley were both booked with seconds remaining, but the points went south.

This was a great match, and Gretna boss, Rowan Alexander, paid tribute to the Mo's efforts in the Sunday press. Of course the result was disappointing, but the lads all gave 100%. And the crowd raised £800 for the Tsunami appeal, which is far more important than a game of football, in the scheme of things.

Teams

Montrose

Butter, Donachie, Ferguson, Doyle, Stephen, Kerrigan, Dodds, Hall, Wood, Budd, Sharp

Subs: Webster, Smart, Watson, Hankison, Slater

Gretna

Mathieson, Birch, Aitken, Irons, McQuilken, Baldacchino, Gilfillan, McGuffie, Skelton, Deuchar, Bingham.
Subs: Wake, Smith, Prokas, Main, Townsley

Other reports

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/4137095.stm

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=153899&cc=5739

http://www.montrose-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=196688