Montrose took Motherwell to penalties in the second Premier Sports Cup group game with a crowd of 1,036 braving the mid-summer Scottish freeze to witness it. 

With Motherwell opening the scoring in the first half, it took Montrose until deep into the second half to look more of a threat when Ali Shrive finally broke through to bring the scores level. 

But it was still to be Motherwell’s night when they took the bonus point after penalties. 

In the game’s opening minutes, both sides struggled to get a foothold with Montrose’s Andrew Steeves the first to take a bold run down the wing before being blocked.

It didn’t take long for the Fir Park side to start taking more possession but they were still struggling to get beyond the middle of the park until a chance to break through by Harrison Paton was swiftly denied by Sean Dillon. 

Just before the 10 minute mark a deep Paton cross fell to the feet of Andy Halliday in the box but he fired well high of the bar doing little to trouble Montrose keeper Cammy Gill. 

Paton was involved again with another shot a few minutes later from 12 yards but the low ball went straight to Gill as Motherwell continued to pile on the pressure. 

A minute later Montrose broke through on the counterattack as Callum Hannah took off down the wing but his deep cross failed to connect and the visitors retook possession. 

Gill was kept busy with another Motherwell shot in the 16th minute but did well to keep the ball clear of the net. 

With Motherwell looking increasingly dangerous to the home side, Montrose did well to clear a Halliday corner that fell into the box. 

Soon after yet another Motherwell shot, from Lennon Miller was cleared by the home defence before Gill was called into action once again following a dangerous cross into the box in the 23rd minute. 

Half an hour in, Gardyne met a Halliday corner kick into the box and cleared it well with a strong header. 

But it was almost inevitable that Motherwell would be the first to break the deadlock when they finally slipped a close-range header through the fingers of Gill courtesy of Shane Blaney. 

Montrose started to fight back as the half continued but squandered their opportunities with a notable Gardyne free-kick failing to connect with anyone. 

Despite Montrose looking brighter as the first half wore on, Motherwell continued to look more dangerous but with the home side doing well to keep them at bay.

Montrose made one change at the break with captain Terry Masson making way for Matheus Machado. 

Five minutes into the first half the visitors took their first opportunity but Miller’s high ball from 18 yards was tipped clear by Gill. 

Miller again sent a speculative punt well wide and into the terracing just a few moments later. 

Motherwell missed a prime opportunity in the 53rd minute when Paton sent a low cross in from the edge of the box but it failed to connect with the onrushing Zachary Scott Robinson to trundle free. 

In the 57th minute, Montrose made a further two substitutions with Ben Hermiston and Aidan Quinn making way for Craig Smith and Craig Brown. 

Just after the hour, with the sides looking fairly equal, Steeves took a long run down the wing but his cross went straight to Motherwell keeper Aston Oxborough. 

In the 65th minute Motherwell made their first change of the game with Ebiye Moses coming on for Halliday. 

Moses made his presence felt immediately after coming on with good link-up play but his low drive from 20 yards was unlucky to go just wide of the post. 

Montrose had a decent chance a few moments later but Oxborough was quick to clear. 

A Motherwell corner taken by Paton a few moments later also failed to connect with the Motherwell side still one up at just over 20 minutes to go. 

Ewan Wilson was next to take a shot for the visitors but sent a powerful drive just over the top of the bar. 

Montrose’s fourth substitution came in the 73rd minute with Aulay Martin replacing Ryan Williamson. 

Soon after, another Motherwell chance failed to find the net when a deep long-ball from captain Stephen O’Donnell failed to connect in the box. 

Motherwell made a further sub with 10 minutes to go when Scott Robinson was replaced by Mark Ferrie. 

Montrose came so close to bringing it level on the 82nd mark but Oxborough did well to clear the ball off the line after it looked almost certain to go in. 

Then with just four minutes to go, Montrose finally found the well-deserved equaliser when Ali Shrive spun his man in the box and fired past the helpless Oxborough.

But it was the visitors who left Links Park victorious after seeing out Montrose in the penalty shootout 4-5. 

The result leaves Montrose third in the Group G table behind Motherwell and Partick Thistle with one point, leaving Clyde and Edinburgh City with 0. 

Report by Sarah McLean

Pic by Phoenix Photography