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Two top-drawer crosses from Shay Logan led to the goals from Mitch Megginson and Fraser Fyvie that decided a tightly contested encounter at Links Park and extended our unbeaten run in cinch League One to 20 matches.

Montrose raised their hopes by replying through Craig Johnston, before the interval.

But outstanding defending in the second period – with the ball seeming to be drawn to the head of Morgyn Neill like a magnet for him to clear  – ensured we saw the game out to maintain our five point lead at the top of the table.

Scott Ross replaced the suspended Harry Milne, which was the only change to the starting line-up against Clyde the previous weekend.

Montrose received a set-back when keeper Aaron Lennox injured himself during the warm-up and had to be replaced by Allan Fleming.

An action-packed first half was sparked by an outstanding fifth minute opener that came from passing football of the highest quality.

Iain Vigurs started things off with an exquisite cross field pass, taking the ball from wide left straight to the feet of Logan, who was overlapping down the right.

Logan followed that with a top drawer cross over to the back post to Rory McAllister, who could have had a go but chose to unselfishly nod the ball across the face of the Montrose goal for MEGGINSON to prod home.

Montrose had a chance to equalise almost immediately, when Sean Dillon met a Lyall Cameron corner to send a close range header over.

Craig Johnston also had a 20-yard shot held by Stuart McKenzie as the Gable Endies broke forward again.

Megginson was unlucky not to make it 2-0 in the 22nd minute, when his powerful 20-yard shot, from yet another Logan cross, rebounded to safety off the legs of Fleming.

We increased our lead in the 31st minute, and it was another cracker.

McAllister won the ball on the left, just inside the Montrose half, and managed to knock it wide to Logan.

The full-back’s cross was top notch again and allowed FYVIE to nod home at the back post, from a couple of yards out.

Montrose pulled a goal back in the 37th minute, when Cameron’s corner from the right was nodded on by Dillon for JOHNSTON to net from close range.

There was then a spate of bookings, with Montrose’s Terry Masson lucky to escape with a yellow for a wild tackle on Megginson, just before the interval.

Montrose went route one for the majority of the second half, but were repelled time and time again by defending of the highest quality.

Neill in particular, seemed to relish getting on the end of the avalanche of high balls punted into our area.

We actually created the better of what chances there were in the second period.

It began with Blair Yule seeing a powerful 18-yard shot deflected wide of the target in the 49th minute.

Andrew Steeves followed that with a powerful 25-yard volley, but McKenzie was well positioned to grab the ball with ease.

Neill took time out from defending to feed a pass up to Fyvie, who then cut in from the left to lash in a 20-yard shot that was held by Fleming.

Neill got forward in the 68th minute to attempt a drop volley, off a headed clearance from Dillon, that wasn’t too far off target.

Vigurs also tried his luck from distance, although the effort went wide, as we continued to threaten on the break.

Logan almost made it a hat-trick of assists when his 75th minute cross reached Fyvie.

The midfielder’s diving header from 10-yards was heading for the bottom corner until Fleming dived to divert the ball wide of his left post.

Fleming was the hero for Montrose again in the last minute, when he touched a net-bound shot from substitute Leighton McIntosh wide of the same post.

The referee added on five minutes at the end, but there was no further drama as we secured what could be a crucial three points.

MONTROSE: Fleming, Whateley, Steeves, Dillon, Allan, Watson (Simpson 71), Masson (Campbell 84), Cameron, Ballantyne, Johnstone, Lyons (Milne 46).

Subs:  Baxter, Giacomini, Houghton.

COVE RANGERS: McKenzie, Neill, Scully, Ross, Yule, Megginson (McIntosh 83), McAllister (Masson 72), Vigurs, Fyvie, Logan, Reynolds.

Subs: Adeyemo, Leitch, Gourlay, Fotheringham.

Referee: David Dickinson.

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