Montrose 1 Arbroath 1
MONTROSE began their 2021/22 season preparations with a home draw against Angus rivals Arbroath.
Welcoming fans back to Links Park for the first time since March 2020, Montrose gave a good account of themselves against their Championship opponents.
Arbroath were the first to carve out a chance, Scott Stewart shooting over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
But it was the Gable Endies who took the lead in the 6th minute when Andrew Steeves played a clinical through pass to Blair Lyons on the left wing after a driving run at the Arbroath defence. The young forward, back at Links Park on loan from Partick Thistle, jinked into the box before squaring the ball to MARTIN RENNIE, who fired past visiting goalkeeper Derek Gaston from 10 yards out.
Arbroath played a high tempo attacking game, and controlled possession for much of the first half. Central midfielder Nicky Low came close to equalising for the visitors in the 11th minute, but his shot on the half volley was blocked.
At the other end, Lyons dragged his shot wide from the edge of the box, and Terry Masson had a shot charged down after the ball had been clipped into his path by Rennie.
Matty Allan headed over the bar from a Craig Brown corner, while Arbroath’s James Craigen shot high and wide from the edge of the Montrose box.
Arbroath had the final two chances of the first half, Low shooting wide of the post with a low shot from 20 yards out, and Bobby Linn blasting wide from inside the box, but Montrose went in at half time a goal ahead.
The Red Lichties piled on the pressure in the second half as they sought an equaliser. Scott Stewart appeared to have restored parity in the 47th minute when he ploughed through the Montrose defence, but his shot rebounded off the post and into the arms of the grateful Aaron Lennox, who had been well beaten by the effort.
Stewart came close again in the 55th minute, shooting across goal from the edge of the box, and Lennox was called into action again two minutes later, making a diving save from McKenna’s shot.
Montrose struggled to break their opponents down, their best chance of the opening 15 minutes of the first half coming from a Graham Webster free kick that sailed over the bar.
Arbroath introduced five substitutes on the hour mark, and appeared to be playing a very high line with four players in attacking positions as they continued to create chances.
Luke Donnelly headed wide from eight yards out, and Lennox made a diving save from a Low free kick after Paul Watson handled the ball on the edge of the Montrose box.
Arbroath’s pressure finally paid off in the 78th minute when RICKY LITTLE blasted the ball into the roof of the net when he was left unmarked from Low’s corner.
The final 10 minutes saw Stewart head wide and half volley the ball over the bar, and Montrose’s Cammy Ballantyne having a shot from the edge of the box held by Gaston
Report by Mark Rae
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Team Lineups & Stats
Pre-season FriendlySaturday 26th June 2021
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| 21 | Aaron Lennox |
1 | Derek Gaston |
| 2 | Cammy Ballantyne |
4 | Ricky Little  |
| 3 | Andrew Steeves |
22 | Liam Henderson (s60) |
| 4 | Matty Allan |
5 | Thomas O'Brien |
| 5 | Kerr Waddell (s46) |
12 | Scott Stewart |
| 6 | Terry Masson |
28 | James Craigen (s60) |
| 15 | Mark Whatley |
6 | Nicky Low |
| 8 | Paul Watson (s77) |
8 | Michael McKenna (s60) |
| 23 | Martin Rennie (s77) |
15 | Luke Donnelly (s79) |
| 22 | Craig Brown |
10 | Gavin Swankie (s60) |
| 11 | Blair Lyons (s77) |
11 | Bobby Linn (s60) |
| 7 | Graham Webster (s46) |
9 | Dale Hilson (s60) |
| 12 | Aidan McKelvie (s77) |
14 | Dylan Paterson (s60) |
| 14 | Jack Bowden (s77) |
7 | David Gold (s60) |
| 17 | Keir Balfour (s77) |
32 | Trialist A (s60) |
| 1 | Ross Matthews |
33 | Trialist B (s79) |
| 3 | Colin Hamilton (s60) |
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| 31 | Robert Douglas |
Referee:
Mike Roncone
Assistant Referees:
Alastair Mather, Scott Leslie
Goalscorers:
Montrose - Martin Rennie (6)
Arbroath - Ricky Little (78)
Yellow Cards:
None
Red Cards:
None
Attendance:
..
