MONTROSE picked up a hard-fought three points from a tough home encounter in torrential rain against East Fife.

Andrew Munro came close for East Fife in the fourth minute, blasting over Harrison Sharp’s crossbar from inside the box.

Patrick Slattery tried his luck from 25 yards out two minutes later, but his shot flew wide of the post.

Blair Lyons almost capitalised in the 19th minute when East Fife goalkeeper Ruairidh Adams came racing out of his box to mishit a clearance, but the Montrose winger’s shot from 45 yards out dropped wide of the post with Adams furiously back-pedalling.

Michael McKenna hit the target with a low 25-yard free kick in the 27th minute, but Sharp held the ball easily.

The Montrose goalkeeper did well again a minute later, palming a point-blank header from Nathan Austin clear of danger.

Ewan Loudon could have put Montrose ahead in the 31st minute, when he controlled the ball and turned his marker, but dragged his shot wide of the post.

Sharp pulled off another great save to deny Kieran Millar in the 34th minute, diving to his left to turn the ball away off the goal line from a powerful header.

Sharp was called into action just 20 seconds into the second half, palming a long range shot out to safety.

McKenna curled a 25-yard free kick wide of Sharp’s post in the 48th minute.

Montrose were denied a goal from a goalmouth scramble in the 63rd minute, unable to apply a finishing touch as the ball pinballed around the East Fife box.

But the home side took the lead in the 65th minute when Blair LYONS applied a diving header finish at the back post, the East Fife defence having failed to clear a dipping Graham Webster cross.

The home side pushed for a quick second, Adams having to scramble the ball away following a quick break from Callum Sandilands. The keeper then denied Kieran Freeman from the following corner.

Adams denied Ewan Loudon a goal in the 81st minute, turning a stinging volley wide of the post. At the other end, Sharp held a Destiny Oladipo header on the line.

Attendance 1082

Report by Mark Rae

Post match reaction https://youtu.be/EvD-Ub3O-7Y?si=Ke0D2cgY4b1WG4ZP