2Match Report
Irn Bru Scottish League Division Three
Stenhousemuir 2 [Dalziel 66, 69]
Montrose 2 [Bradley 10, Baird 21]
This was certainly a game of contrasts and had plenty of talking points for both sets of fans in an entertaining encounter. Montrose began the game brightly with the Warriors not at their best and the home side were lucky not to see Willie Lyle or Stevie Ferguson go into the book after a couple of robust tackles in the opening stages.
The Gable Endies took the lead in the 10th minute of the game when Kevin Bradley cut inside from the right touch line and fired a long range rocket past a helpless Kieron Renton. At the game progressed Montrose were looking the more dangerous and they scored their second in the 21st minute when John Baird utilised the time and space that he had been given when Jamie Buchan had sliced through the home ranks and measured his shot past Renton. Just past the hour mark a piece of nonsense between Ian Thomson and Stephen Black saw both players booked as the game looked as if it could deter ate. In the 41st minute it looked as if the Warriors were going to be handed a lifeline when Colin Brown pointed to the spot after John Ovenstone had been fouled in the box but after consultation with the standside assistant awarded a free kick to Montrose instead for offside though it looked as if the offside had actually occurred at a later stage in the play.
Both sides made changes in personnel at half time with the Warriors bring on Andy Shirra and Steven Desmond in a tactical switch whilst Montrose were forced into theirs as Ross Gardiner who had himself replaced Stephen McLeod earlier in the game was unable to continue after an injury picked up at the end of the half and he was replaced by ex-Warrior Jay Stein.
The Warriors eventually got back into the game after missing a number of chances when Scott Dalziel headed home from close range following a great delivery by Willie Lyle giving trialist keeper Greg Kelly ex-Aberdeen no chance of stopping. Three minutes later the game was level and again the scorer was Dalziel with another header this time from a McGroarty cross from the opposite wing.
Montrose saw manager Jim Weir sent to the stand after a disagreement with the officioal;s with five minutes left but they almost took the lead immediately afterwards when John Baird failed to score with an effort that only missed by a scrape of paint. The Warriors responded by going up the other end of the pitch and Andy Brand missed the chance to become the hero for the home side when he scuffed a shot when it looked as if he would score. In stoppage time the Warriors came even closer when Ovenstone met a Desmond cross and with the goal gaping his header went agonisingly wide in what was the last touch of the game as the referee blew his whistle immediately.
Stenhousemuir – Renton, Lyle, McGroarty [b11], Smith, Ovenstone, Motion, Thomson[b31] [Shirra h/t], Ferguson, Dalziel, Brand and Brazil [Desmond h/t]. Subs not used – Hampshire, Gibson and Bennett.
Montrose – Kelly [t], Worrell, Thomson, McLeod [Gardiner 18][Stein h/t], Buchan, Doris, Bradley, Davidson, Anson [b51], Baird [b83]and Black[b32] [Stewart 62]. Subs not used – Hunter and Butter
Referee – Colin Brown
Assistants – John Gilmour and Andrew Dallas
