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COVE RANGERS 0-2 MONTROSE

Cove crashed out of the SPFL Trust Trophy at the first hurdle as two second half goals saw Montrose progress through to the fourth round.

It was a similar story for the home side with plenty possession but no killer touch, and there could be no complaints about the defeat.

Paul Hartley made two changes from last week’s loss at Alloa. Will Gillingham returned from suspension to replace Cameron Stewart, who had been nursing a slight injury all week, and Mark Gallagher took over from Tyler Mykyta in midfield.

The big news was the appearance of Blair Yule on the bench having been out since April.

On a hot, sunny afternoon the game kicked-off at a slow pace as the players on both sides attempted to adapt to the conditions, and it was not until the eighth minute that either defence was troubled.

Connor Scully played a long ball through for Scott Williamson to chase down, and after the striker got the better of both Dillon and Williamson, he fired off a low shot which Matthews gathered.

Burrell then broke away on the right, but his cross was easily taken by the keeper, then a Gallagher backheel set up Megginson, but he too was foiled by Matthews.

The goalkeeper was again called into action soon after, cutting out a Burrell delivery, and seconds later Williamson got on the end of a Burrell head flick and lobbed Matthews, only to see the ball clear the crossbar.

Midway through the half the referee called a water break, a rare occurrence in Cove in September, and it was the visitors who seemed to benefit most, going on to enjoy their best spell of the match.

Brown had a long range effort deflected for a corner, Batchelor should have done better than shoot high over the bar from fifteen yards, and Watson had a thirty yard free-kick easily saved by Suman.

Cove responded, and after an overhit corner, Scully laid the ball off for Megginson, but the captain’s shot was blocked. As the move developed, Mark Gallagher had a weak effort saved.

The midfielder then linked up with Mitch to set Williamson running free into the box, and Scott got away a powerful effort which was beaten out by Matthews.

The front three combined to fashion our next opening, Williamson rolling a pass into the path of Burrell, who fired over the crossbar.

There followed sustained Cove possession, but with Montrose sitting deep, the players were unable to find a way through, and the move ended with Williamson’s shot being charged down. Megginson was next to have a try, his well-struck angled effort being pushed away by Matthews.

The visitors nearly snatched the lead deep into first half stoppage time. Having forced a corner on the right, the ball was flicked on, and Quinn met it with a powerful diving header at the back post. Suman was however alert to the danger and dived to his right to claw the ball to safety.

Rumarn Burrell set off on a couple of runs early in the second half, which came to nothing, then after good link-up between Gallagher and Scully, Williamson flashed in an angled shot which was diverted for a corner.

Substitute Webster had Montrose’s next attempt, a shot from outside the box which Suman dealt with comfortably, but the visitors were to forge ahead in their next attack. After a good passing move, Craig BROWN played a 1-2 with Watson before rifling a twenty-yard strike high into the net with his left foot.

Almost immediately, Sena went down injured and the midfielder was replaced by Blair Yule, whose return to the side after five months out raised the biggest cheer all day from the home fans.

Substitute Kyle Connell dragged a twenty yard shot wide, then Scully came even closer, his long, looping cross from the left touchline catching out Matthews, but landing on top of the net.

Megginson only just failed to get on to a Reynolds through ball, then in the next move, the captain looked to have clearly been fouled by Sean Dillon just outside the Montrose area. The referee however waved play on, and after a long ball over the top, Kane HESTER raced clear to chip over Suman and settle the tie.

In what would have been a carbon copy of the last home game against Queen of the South, Tyler Mykyta came agonisingly close to scoring, his long range free kick dipping over the wall, but cannoning back off the crossbar with the keeper rooted to his line.

There were a couple of half-hearted attempts after that, but the game petered out and the side fell to a third successive defeat.

COVE RANGERS (4-3-1-2): Suman; Darge, Gillingham, Reynolds, Scully; McGowan, Sena (Yule 62), Gallagher (Connell 65); Megginson (c); Williamson (Mykyta 75), Burrell

Substitutes: Demus, Ochmanski, Milnes, Stewart

Goalscorers:

Booked:

MONTROSE (3-4-3): Matthews; Williamson, Dillon, Quinn; Shrive (Webster 46), Thomson, Brown, Watson (c); Machado (Gardyne 65), Batchelor (Hester 60), Lyons (Callaghan 74)

Substitutes: Gill

Goalscorers: Brown (59), Hester (87)

Booked: Lyons (27)

Referee: Alastair Grieve

Attendance: 520

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