Montrose rounded off their pre-season friendlies with a home game against Civil Service Strollers from the Lowland League in a game which started off in torrential rain but referee Steven Traynor got it started anyway.  The Mo were still a few players missing for various reasons but the team started in capable fashion by having plenty of possession.

Hester had the first chance in the 2nd minute but the Trialist keeper for the visitors did well to stop the shot. The visitors had the first corner of the game on 4 minutes and what was a great delivery was spoiled by a handball from the attacking player. 

Not a lot happened for the next 20 minutes as both sides bedded themselves into the game though the Mo had most possession. McAllister went close with a free kick from 30 yards but it was held by the keeper. Next corner was for Montrose but came to nothing.

Then the game came more to life as Montrose took the lead when Terry Massonlatched onto the end of a move from Webster then McAllister to fire low and hard into the bottom right to make it 1-0 after 27 minutes.

Almost a second goal came soon after as McAllister crossed for Hester but it was cut out well  by the defender and the second ball was sent in by Quinn to Hester then Masson but again held by the keeper.

Just before half time the scores were level at 1-1 as Mark Laird sent an unchallenged header from a corner high into the net from close range.

For the second half Paul Watson came on for Matheus Machado and went into the back four and what a huge difference he made both in defence and in midfield with his on-field presence. The visitors had a goal disallowed for offside on 46 minutes and it must have been a very close decision but straight up the other end it went and instead of going a goal down Montrose scored themselves when Rory McAllister headed  in from a right wing cross.

It went from 2-1 to 3-1 inside a couple of minutes as Rory McAllister did what he does with a through ball to hammer it in. In became 4-1 from a Watson/Brown/Hester move with a tap in by Graham Webster on 65 minutes.

The visitors made several changes to bring on all of their subs including 4 more Trialists and for the Mo Craig Brown replaced Ali Shrive who himself fitted in well in midfield then Batchelor replaced Webster and Matthews replaced keeper Gill. With 10 minutes to go McAllister was replaced by Grant and Masson by Giacomini.

Almost with his first touch Craig Batchelor scored after a keeper error to make it 5-1. With all those changes the game ended with the visitors scoring at the last gasp with a close range tap in from Callum Yeats from a hard hit left wing cross to make it 5-2 on the day.

A useful run out for Civil Service Strollers with some of the Trialists showing up well and a lively No 14 Michael Mbewe showing his skills to good effect. For Montrose it was a good second half which shows they can score goals and that’s what it’s all about.

Report by Steve Doyle

Pic by Phoenix Photography 

Post Match Interview: https://youtu.be/2hC_U2MKThQ