Montrose started their Cinch League 1 campaign with a home defeat to Kelty Hearts.

The home side threatened almost directly from kick-off, Kane Hester heading wide from an Andrew Steeves cross.

Kelty came close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute, Cammy Gill reacting quickly to smother the ball at the feet of Tiwi Daramola on the edge of the six yard box.

The keeper was called into action again in the 17th minute, diving full stretch to palm a long range shot from Ross Cunningham wide of the post.

Paul Watson was denied a goal by a fingertip save from Kyle Gourlay in the 21st minute, the goalkeeper managing to hold the ball from the corner that followed.

Kelty midfielder Reece Lyon fired a 25-yard shot wide of Gill’s post a minute later as Montrose struggled to find their rhythm.

While the visitors enjoyed more of the ball in the middle period of the first half, they were largely restricted to long range shots, Gill again called into action to smother an effort from Lewis Moore in the 28th minute.

Kelty pushed forward again in the 39th minute, former Montrose striker Craig Johnston bursting through the middle before rolling the ball to Daramola, but he couldn’t control the pass and the chance petered out.

With the first half drawing to a close, Watson was within inches of putting Montrose ahead, glancing a header wide of the post from a curled Gardyne free kick.

Kelty almost capitalised on slackness at the back in the 57th minute, but Moore could only curl his shot wide of the post despite being unmarked on the edge of the box.

Watson dragged a shot from a short free kick wide of the post in the 61st minute, the ball taking a deflection on its way through the box.

Montrose had the ball in the net from the corner that followed, Aidan Quinn heading in, but referee Dan McFarlane disallowed the goal for a foul.

Kelty took the lead in the 70th minute when a succession of Montrose players failed to clear the ball from the box after Sean Dillon had been robbed, substitute Stefan McCLUSKEY applying the finish to poke the ball into the bottom corner of Gill’s net.

Rory McAllister was denied an almost immediate equaliser, his curled shot crashing back off Gourlay’s post with the goalkeeper well beaten.

The visitors put the result beyond doubt with six minutes to go when the unmarked Botti BIABI poked the ball into the net from 12 yards out, Montrose again having failed to clear the ball from their box.

Andrew Steeves was denied a consolation goal twice in as many seconds in stoppage time, Gourlay saving the full back’s shots at his near post.

Attendance: 565

Report: Mark Rae

Pic: Phoenix Photography 

Post Match Reaction: https://youtu.be/pb9aNzHGTLM

Match Highlights: https://youtu.be/GwLuh84C0Os