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MISSED chances and an unfortunate own goal from Fraser Fyvie meant there was no reward for the effort we put into what was a thrilling League One encounter against the Gable Endies at Links Park.

Midfielder Fyvie was unlucky to see his attempted clearance creep in after just 15 minutes but we had plenty of scoring opportunities either side of that to come away with at least a point, which would have been the least we deserved.

Montrose, who knew a win would mean a top five finish for them, sat in for most of the second period and we just couldn’t make the breakthrough, although Scott Ross did see his net bound header cleared off the line.

When that happened you sensed it just wasn’t going to be our night.

We ended the match with 10 men when Ryan Strachan was sent-off in the dying minutes – and also saw skipper Mitch Megginson hobble off injured in time added on.

As if that wasn’t painful enough, other results on the night saw us slip down to third in the table, although it’s to the great credit of the players that the only two sides ahead of us are full-timers Partick Thistle and Falkirk, a commendable achievement in our first season at this level.

The downside is we now face having to play our final four games inside the space of a week, with the first of those away to the Bairns on Saturday, but we always knew success in this league wouldn’t come easy.

We showed one change to the side that beat Falkirk 2-0 last weekend, with Cammy Logan coming in to start in place of Kieran Ngwenya.

We set the pace in the early stages and Connor Scully was unfortunate to see his shot from the edge of the area strike Rory McAllister and go wide.

McAllister then laid the ball into the path of Blair Yule but his low shot was easily gathered by home keeper Allan Fleming.

We had a great chance in the eighth minute when Yule’s cross from the right was spilled at the front post by Fleming.

Connor Smith latched on to the rebound but Fleming redeemed himself by saving at the midfielder’s feet inside the six yard box.

Montrose created their first opportunity in the 11th minute, when Lewis Milne cut in from the left and hit a powerful 18-yard shot that was beaten to safety by Stuart McKenzie.

Smith had a glorious chance to open the scoring in the 12th minute after latching on to a lay-off from McAllister, but the youngster steered his left foot shot wide from around eight yards.

Montrose took the lead in the 15th minute.

Liam Callaghan curled a corner over from the right and FYVIE attempted to head clear from Sean Dillon but could only direct the ball just inside the front post.

Yule set up our next chance with a great cross from the right and Aiden Quinn had to make an excellent last gasp tackle to stop Smith getting a shot in at the edge of the six yard box.

Montrose threatened again in the 23rd minute when Chris Mochrie turned at the edge of the area to hit a shot that was well saved by McKenzie.

Yule was a constant threat and yet another excellent cross from him just evaded Megginson and McAllister as it sped across the face of the Montrose goal.

We also saw McAllister hit a free-kick into the Montrose defensive wall and Smith send his one over from 22-yards as we searched for the equaliser.

The lively Smith had a drive from 18-yards pushed clear by Fleming as half-time approached.

Yule was prominent in the second half too and set up yet another chance in the 57th minute with a cross which Smith knocked wide of the target from eight yards.

We made a triple change after 65-minutes, with Leighton McIntosh replacing the injured McAllister, Seb Ross and Adam Livingstone also coming on as we looked for ways to break down the well drilled Montrose defence.

We were desperately unlucky not to draw level in the 69th minute.

Scully’s corner from the right was deftly flicked on by Scott Ross and the ball was going in at the far post until Harry Cochrane knocked it off the line.

Seb Ross then laid a pass through to McIntosh and his curling shot from the edge of the area went inches wide of Fleming’s left post.

We laid siege to the Montrose goal in the latter stages.

Fyvie’s effort from 35-yards went wide just before his through pass gave Ross Graham the chance to hit a shot from a tight angle on the left that Fleming did well to save.

Within a minute, Fyvie had won the ball again and saw his shot from the left edge of the penalty area curl agonisingly wide of the post.

We seemed to have a decent penalty claim rejected by referee Scott Lambie in the 88th minute when McIntosh appeared to be fouled from behind as he collected a pass from Megginson.

Strachan got his marching orders a minute later for hauling back Russell McLean as the big striker attempted to break clear on our goal and Montrose held on for a win that ensured that we have another visit to Links Park on the horizon.

MONTROSE: Fleming, Cammy Ballantyne, Steeves, Callaghan (Webster 65), Quinn, Dillon, Cochrane (Antoniazzi 83), Milne, McLean (Campbell 89), Mochrie (Masson 46), Cammy F Ballantyne.

Subs: Lennox, Allan, McGale, Johnston, Rennie.

COVE RANGERS: McKenzie, Scully, Scott Ross (Watson 77), Strachan, Yule, Megginson (Hanratty 92), McAllister (McIntosh 65), Graham, Smith (Seb Ross 65), Fyvie, Logan (Livingstone 65).

Subs:  Higgins, Ngwenya, Demus.

Referee: Scott Lambie.

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