After the midweek defeat at Alloa Athletic in their first Premier Sports Group C fixture, Montrose took to the field at Gayfield Park kindly loaned for the afternoon by neighbours Arbroath, looking to get three points on the board, the visiting Bonnyrigg Rose having been relegated to the Lowland League at the end of last season after two seasons in the SPFL.

Manager Stewart Petrie chose to mix up things and made six changes to the side who lost at Alloa. With Cammy Gill still out injured 18 year old Club Academy keeper Aaron Clark kept his place in goal but Webster, Smith (for his first start since being injured in November), Bertie, Machado and new signing Ross Clark came into the side. They replaced Quinn, Waddell, Masson, Wighton and Shrive.

Sean Dillon was due to take his place in defence but was injured in the warm up and replaced by new club captain Andrew Steeves.

Visiting Bonnyrigg playing only their second ever match against Montrose had a few familiar players in their line up including ex Montrose loanee Neil Martynuik and ex seniors Billy King and Kallum Higginbottom.

The match got underway in miserable wet conditions which were to continue throughout the ninety minutes.

It was full back Keir Bertie who had the first strike at goal for Montrose but keeper Ross Connelly got down well to black.

In the fifth minute Graham Webster went on a great run up the right wing before cutting the ball back to Craig Brown whose curling right footed effort went inches wide of the post.

Montrose kept up the pressure on the visitors goal and in the 15^thminute Connelly again had to look lively to keep out a Machado shot.

In the next minute Bonnyrigg thought they had taken the lead when Higginbotham caught the ball brilliantly on the volley on the edge of the box only for Aaron Clark to pull off a wonderful save.

On the half hour Montrose had a great chance to take the lead. Brown crossed from the right and Ewan Louden’s near post header looked bound for the net until Connelly got his hands to it to tip onto the crossbar.

Kerr Young of the visitors was first into referee Luke’s book and he was quickly followed by Montrose’s Craig Smith for a late tackle.

On the stroke of half time the visitors took the lead. Montrose failed to deal with a corner kick and Graham Webster only succeeded in heading the ball up in the air and KALLUM HIGGINBOTHAM was on hand to fire the loose ball past the unfortunate Clark.

Montrose restarted the second half on the front foot and equalised in the 48^th minute. The ball was played in from the left and after a scramble in the box the ball came off the unfortunate visiting defender CORRIE FELLOWS and into his own net.

The following minute Montrose should have taken the lead. Machado played the ball to Freeman in the middle of the park and he slipped in Lyons but with only the keeper to beat Connelly pulled off a wonderful stop.

The second Montrose goal wasn’t delayed too long and it came in the 50^th minute. Webster fired in a great cross and in rushed summer signing from Brechin City EWAN LOUDON to knock the ball home from close range.

Ewan Loudon was fancying his chances now and let fly from 20 yards out but Connelly was again equal to the task and blocked the shot well.

Montrose then had a penalty claim waved aside when Graham Webster appeared to be upended in the box as he got a shot away.

Blair Lyons then picked up a booking along with Bonnyrigg’s Sommerville as the pair clashed on the far touchline.

The visitors made a double switch in the next minute with Callum Connolly and Josh Beveridge replacing Corrie Fellows and captain Kerr Young.

Montrose made three changes of their own two minutes later with Masson, Wighton and Quinn replacing Freeman, Lyons and Smith.

With 71 minutes gone Bonnyrigg made a triple switch as Hogg, trialist and Forbes replaced Dowling, King and Higginbotham.

The substitutions continued as Montrose brought on Ali Shrive for Craig Brown.

With fifteen minutes remaining Craig Wighton headed the ball down into the path of Masson but he fired wide.

Ross Clark became the third Montrose player to be booked for a crunching tackle in the middle of the park as conditions worsened and the floodlights were put on at Gayfield.

In the 80^th minute Montrose grabbed a third goal. Ewan Loudon now playing on the right used his pace to go down the right before cutting into the box and finding TERRY MASSON who side footed into the far corner. It was the midfielder’s first goal in almost two and a half years. His last coming against Edinburgh City in a 3 – 3 draw on 18^th February 2023.

The Gable Endies then brought on Rio Bradford who had spent last season on loan to Montrose Roselea for Ross Clark.

Montrose sealed the win and their first points of the group three minutes later when substitutions. Bradford went on a surging run through the middle of the park and slipped the ball through to CRAIG WIGHTON who ran on cut inside a defender and calmly fired the ball into the net.

Report by Andrew Stephen 

Post match reaction https://youtu.be/NreS0ylvZYU?si=cv6Sro8_mroG166t