MOMO BLOOPER MO
Dodds warms up
By Gary McKenzie @ Links Park
February 6 2005
Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 5 February 2005, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 0 STENHOUSEMUIR 3 (McGrillen (2, 54), Savage (12)). Elementary mistakes in defence cost the Gable Endies the points at Links Park.
This game was only two minutes old when Barry Donachie collected the ball at the edge of his own box and tapped a feeble passback towards Butter. The keeper stayed on his line as MCGRILLEN nipped in past the embarrassed defender, and skilfully chipped it over the keeper from a tight angle.
Montrose were shellshocked, but teid to come back as Sharp went on one of his mazy runs and earned a corner on 5 minutes.
It wasn't Donachie's day as he again gave the ball away in a dangerous position on 11 minutes but the shot was tipped wide by Butter.
Further defensive madness ensued on 12 minutes as Butter took far too long with a kick out from a passback, allowing SAVAGE to close him down and the keeper's desperate kick smacked off him and into the net.
On 17 minutes, Donachie was involved again as he chipped the ball into new striker McLean's path but the keeper managed to push his shot over.
And that was it in terms of meaningful action in the first half. This was one of the poorest games I've seen at Links Park, and this might well have been our worst performance of the season. There were none of the tight passing moves we have come to expect in spells this season. We didn't deserve to be 2 down at half-time, but we certainly didn't deserve very much from a poor 45 minutes.
On 47 minutes, Watson was booked for retaliation after a challenge and the big striker obviously took a knock as he was withdrawn soon after and replaced by Wood, who was relegated to the bench after last week's poor showing.
The game was effectively over after 52 minutes when MCGRILLEN rose to head the ball home from a corner.
Montrose began to play a bit better in this half and McLean's cut back on 53 minutes found Sharp whose shot was saved.
Donachie rounded off a bad day at the office when he received his traditional booking after 57 minutes. It looked like the number 2 must have said something to the far side linesman as the referee pulled out the yellow card after a bit of a conference with the official.
Sharp was next in the book on the hour for grappling with McGrillen.
Stenny were enjoying long spells in possession by this time and Montrose couldn;t seem to get the ball. Smart was booked after 62 minutes when his frustration got the better of him and he tackled from behind during one of Stenny's keep-ball sessions.
The manager changed things on 65 minutes when he sent on Spink for Slater and the young midfielder made an impression when he hit the bar soon after.
On 70 minutes McLean went close when his shot in a crowded area was tipped over by McCulloch.
The Stenny stopper was in action again with quarter of an hour to go as he held Wood's shot.
Kerr Dodds was replaced by Daryn Smith, then Stenny made two substitutions in quick succession. Davidson and Sinclair came on for Savage and Lauchlan.
McCulloch showed his worth to the away side by making three saves from McLean, Spink and Sharp whose shot cannoned off the keeper's legs.
In injury time, McCulloch was in action again as Fergie played a fine ball through to Sharp but the shot was straight at the keeper.
Hopefully this was just an off day, since without Montrose gifting goals to Stenny it would have been close. Montrose travel to an improving East Stirlingshire next Saturday.
Teams
Montrose
Butter, Donachie, Ferguson, Doyle, Stephen, Slater, Dodds, Smart, McLean, Watson, Sharp
Subs: Wood, Spink, Smith, Webster, Hankinson
Stenhousemuir
McCulloch, Fallon, McInally, Easton, McGregor, Murphy, Lauchlan, Collins, Savage, McBride, McGrillen
Subs: Davidson, Sinclair, Smith, Henderson, Orr
Other Match Reports
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/4234863.stm
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=154257&cc=5739
http://www.montrose-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=203818