Montrose and Queen of the South had both been on a good run of results before this game so a competitive game was expected. 

Montrose fielded a strong team but Waddell was missing from the squad because of illness.

Referee Graham Grainger got it underway on a sunny dry but cold day with Queens first to attack and straightaway they moved the ball very well indeed and put the Mo under pressure.

Montrose got the ball up-field as much as possible for Lyons and Webster to chase and it was Webster who had the first shot of the game but it was too high. Queens responded on 4 minutes when the big lad up top, Dickenson, headed a cross over the top.

Montrose had plenty of possession and from break-aways they won 3 corners in the next 15 minutes, with Quinn heading narrowly wide from two of them.

Queens were passing the ball well particularly in midfield and exerting pressure and the Mo back line handled it well but could not afford a mistake. Webster had another shot saved by keeper Stewart then the first yellow card went to Guthrie of Queens for a foul on Freeman. 

Surprisingly Queens made a change after only 30 minutes as Hewitt came on for McKenzie as they cranked up the pressure on Montrose. Guthrie headed a left wing cross wide then he should have scored on 38 minutes from another left wing cross but keeper Gill saved the day.

Leading up to half-time Lyons was yellow carded – it was a foul but a yellow card questionable after several similar fouls on him. Queens had two corners which came to nothing and it stayed at 0-0 at the break.

No changes for the start of the second half but the scoreline changed after 48 minutes as Mike Hewitt got onto a left wing cross and fired it past Gill from close range to make it 1-0. 

Queens didn’t sit back on a one goal lead in fact they pressed for more and worked well with good passing moves. Gibson was yellow carded on 57 minutes but his shot soon after was weak and did not trouble Stewart in goal. 

Another change for Queens on 68 minutes as Guthrie was replaced by O’Donoghue then another shot from Gibson from 25 yards but again not well hit.

First changes for the Mo on 73 minutes with McClements and Brown coming on for Gibson and Masson then on 79 minutes Stevenson came on for Williamson with Freeman moving to right back as Montrose came more into the game in the last 10 to 15 minutes to try for an equaliser.

Two more corners for Montrose were defended well by Queens then on 82 minutes Webster was replaced by Machado and Dillon was replaced by Towler. A Lyons shot was blocked on a good run from him then corners for each side came to nothing.

Going into stoppage time it was all Montrose pressure. Queens made another change to slow it down with Johnstone replacing Lyon then Montrose almost scored on 92 minutes with the ball in amongst a ruck of players in the 6-yard box before it was hacked away. The final bit of action was to yellow card Hannah for Queens before the final whistle with Queens 1-0 winners.

Montrose maybe deserved a point but just could not break down a good Queens back line and the home team probably deserved the win on balance even though Montrose did have as much possession.

Report by Steve Doyle