MICHIE MAKES MINCE OF MO
Back to haunt us
By Gary McKenzie @ Links Park
February 27 2005
Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 26 February 2005, Links Park, Montrose. MONTROSE 0 PETERHEAD 2 (Michie (55, 79 (pen))). This game had a certain inevitability about it. A week after losing heavily to the league leaders we come up against the second placed team with an injury & suspension list as long as the queues at a Free Money stall, and who have in-form ex-Gable Endie, Scott Michie leading their line.
The odds were stacked against us, but we welcomed back former Endie, Elliot Smith, playing as a trialist, who took up his old position at left-back while Fergie moved to the centre half position in place of Neil Stephen.
It was good to see the injured and suspended players still made the trip to Links Park to watch the team, indeed Smarty warmed up with the squad before the match while others all sat together in the stand.
Montrose began the brighter and in 5 minutes Webster crossed, the ball was knocked back out and Wood hit the post with his shot, but the keeper cleared.
On 9 minutes Hagen shot wide for Peterhead from wide on the left.
The Mo went close again in 12 minutes when Mathers in the Peterhead goal saved Wood's shot. The rebound fell to Stephen Fraser but the young loanster shot wide.
Fergie fell foul of referee Rowbotham in 14 minutes when he was booked for a tackle from behind.
Ex Gable Endie Gibson, who was the subject of much booing and shouts of "judas" from the home crowd, headed a corner on to the bar in 17 minutes.
In 33 minutes, McLean had the ball in the net for Montrose but was adjudged to have strayed offside.
Peterhead made their first substitution after 55 minutes when Youngson replaced the chubby Hagen.
The away side oppened the scoring imm=ediately after when MICHIE was in the right place to stab the ball home after a Butter save fell to him.
In 58 minutes, Peterhead sent on Stewart for an injured Gibson. The midfielder had undergone some treatment for a knock minutes earlier, and the home crowd took the opportunity to vent their frustrations at him. The young midfielder gave a sarcastic clap in the direction of the largely silent travelling support as he left the field. It would seem that Montrose fans aren't going to forgive him for moving north in a hurry.
A minte later, Sharpy went on a fine run only to shoot just wide.
Henry Hall sensed that the tide might be turning and sent on Watson for Slater to bolster the attack.
In 72 moinutes Fraser had a long range shot saved by Mathers.
Webster is clearly struggling with injury at the moment and he made was for Daryn Smith a couple of minute later.
In 77 minutes, Watson made a fine run to the bye line and fed Wood with the cut back, but his shot was saved by Mathers at close range.
A minute later, Spink replaced McLean for the Mo and Bavidge came on for Linn for the visitors. The change was to prove crucial as he went past Smith on the right wing he was brought down and the referee pointed to the spot. It must have been close but it certainly looked outside the box to me. However, when you're up against the top two, these things tend to go against you and MICHIE stepped up to strike the ball expertly past Butter.
On 88 minutes, Bavidge was booked for a dreadful foul on Doyle and Raeside was lucky not to join him for dissent.
More disappointment, then, for Montrose, who played pretty well throughout and had a really good spell after Peterhead opened the scoring. We did find it really difficult to get in behind the Peterhead defence, and on the occasions we did, we couldn't finish.
East Stirlingshire visit Links Park on Tuesday, weather permitting.
Teams
Montrose
Butter, Donachie, Ferguson, Trialist, Doyle, Fraser, Webster, Slater, Wood, Maclean, Sharp
Subs: D Smith, Watson, Spink, Barbour, Hankinson.
Peterhead
Mathers, Tully, Raeside, Perry, Good, Cameron, Gibson , Buchan, Hagen, Michie, Linn
Subs: Stewart, Youngson, Bavidge, Campbell, Thompson.
Other Match Reports
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/4295999.stm
http://www.montrose-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=208298
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=154523&cc=5739