MONTROSE 2 SHIRE 0

The Links Park hoodoo continues. Shire slumped to their eighth consecutive defeat at a ground they haven’t won at for almost eight years. Second half goals from Garry Wood and Paul Stewart gave Montrose the points and condemned them to their eleventh straight defeat at Links Park.

To make matters worse injuries to David King, Gary Kelly and Andrew Brand could rule them all out of the important midweek game against Dumbarton.

King pulled up in the warm-up and was replaced by Stephen Oates before kick-off. Kevin McBride took over Oates’ place on the substitutes bench.

With Joe Savage out injured, Andy Rodgers was asked to plough a lone furrow up front. Gary Kelly was the only other change to the starting line-up from Tuesday’s disappointing defeat against Stranraer.

Montrose played with a fierce North Sea wind in their faces but it seemed to make little difference to their positive approach to the game.

After seven minutes Steven Doris crossed from the right and after Shire failed to their lines the ball broke to Roddy Hunter but he ballooned the ball over the bar. Two minutes later Black’s corner found Hunter unmarked at the back post but he couldn’t direct his header on target.

In the eleventh minute Keith Gibson played Wood clear through on goal with a slide rule-perfect pass but the far side linesman flagged him offside, much to the consternation of the home crowd.

Gary O’Connor was forced into action for the first time after 15 minutes, tipping wide a Hunter effort, although a minute later Shire did at least manage to cross the halfway line; Andrew Brand fed Derek Ure who tried to curl a shot from 25 yards into the top left-hand corner but the ball went wide.

On 19 minutes Shire should have had a penalty. Sean Simpson’s pass found Paul Brownlie on the edge of the box and his half volley was clearly handled by Chris McLeod, but despite strong Shire protests referee George Salmond waved play on.

Montrose full-back Craig Forsyth picked up the loose ball from a half-hearted Shire clearance on 25 minutes and sent in a powerful effort which flew into the side net. A minute later the defender sent a great cross flying across the face of goal but neither Wood or Hunter could apply the finishing touch.

On the half hour Forsyth’s cross was perfectly judged for Hunter at the back post but the Montrose striker couldn’t get his head to the ball. He tried to punch the ball into the net and was booked for his efforts.

Shire made it to the interval all square, but lost Gary Kelly took a knock on his ankle during the first half and had to be replaced by Craig Donaldson. But Donaldson’s first intervention led directly to the opening goal.

His loose pass wide immediately put Scot Gibb in trouble. The Irishman lost the ball to Black who crossed for Hunter to head towards goal. O’Connor made a great diving save but it wasn’t enough to stop Wood picking up the rebound to score from eight yards.

After 75 minutes Shire could have equalised. Derek Ure played Rodgers clear through the middle but, before he could get a shot in, Ross Gardiner came across to snuff out the danger. A minute later the action switched to the other end and this time Oates’ last-ditch tackle stopped Wood making it 2-0.

With 78 minutes on the clock Montrose substitute John Baird waltzed through the Shire defence but instead of shooting for goal he passed to Wood, who was standing in an offside position, to tap-in. Shire were relieved to see the standside linesman correctly raised his flag.

Shire threw everything into attack but, apart from a couple of dangerous Kevin McBride crosses, Shire couldn’t force Mark Peat into a save.

Three minutes into injury time Montrose substitute Paul Stewart took a pass from Baird to race clear one-on-one with O’Connor and slot the ball home for their second goal.

Montrose : Peat, Buchan, Forsyth, McLeod, Gardiner, Gibson(Stewart 86), Doris, Davidson(McLaren 80), Wood, Hunter(Baird 71), Black.

Shire : O’Connor, Moffat, Oates, Gibb, Thywissen, Brownlie, Simpson(McKenzie 77), Brand(K. McBride 64), Rodgers, Kelly(Donaldson 46), Ure.

Referee : G. Salmond.

Attendance : 410.