MONTROSE piled the pressure on relegation-threatened Peterhead with a relatively comfortable victory at Links Park.

The best chance of the opening 10 minutes saw Matheus Machado force former Montrose goalkeeper Stuart McKenzie into a save when he cut inside and fired a shot at goal. The goalkeeper was called into action again from the corner that followed, Kerr Waddell having a header palmed over the crossbar.

Rory McAllister came close to scoring against his former club in the 21st minute, glancing a header wide of the post from a Michael Garydne cross.

The opening goal came in the 30th minute when Michael GARDYNE headed in from Machado’s cross.

Peterhead struggled to break into the Montrose box during the first half, Jack Brown summing up his side’s frustrations with a wild 30-yard effort that sailed over Ross Matthews’ crossbar in the 37th minute.

But the visitors started the second half in a more attacking frame of mind, Jack Wilkie firing over from the edge of the box in the 53rd minute.

Graham Webster, introduced as a half time substitute for Blair Lyons, came close to doubling Montrose’s lead on the hour mark, having a header palmed off the line when he connected with McAllister’s cross at the back post.

Peterhead’s Ryan Strachan almost scored in spectacular fashion in the 62nd minute, launching the ball from deep in his own half, only for the back-pedalling Matthews to slap the ball away as it dipped towards his net.

McKenzie was called into action again in the 71st minute, punching a Matty Allan header over the crossbar. Allan went close again from the corner, bulleting a header over.

Montrose put the result beyond doubt in the 85th minute when Craig Johnston burst down the left before squaring the ball to the unmarked Paul WATSON deep in the Peterhead half. The skipper, introduced as a substitute in the 68th minute, had time and space to pick his spot, curling a shot into the bottom corner of McKenzie’s net.

The Gable Endies almost extended their lead a minute later, Johnston forcing McKenzie into a save with a shot inside the box. Machado also came close, having a shot held by McKenzie in the 87th minute.

Peterhead snatched a late consolation when Kieran SHANKS volleyed past Matthews in the 89th minute.

Montrose continued to press their visitors until the end, Johnston shooting wide in the third minute of stoppage time.

Attendance: 660

Report by Mark Rae