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COVE RANGERS 1–0 MONTROSE

Mitch Megginson celebrated his return to the team by netting the all-important only goal of the game, securing our first victory of the campaign. In a tight match, Montrose might have taken the lead, but a superb penalty save by Nick Suman kept them out, and the team went on to claim a deserved three points.

With Finlay Murray the only injury absentee, the manager was able to list a full bench for the first time this season. He made three changes from last week with Marshall, Emslie and McGrath dropping out to be replaced by Blair Yule, Liam Parker and Megginson.

We started strongly and created a half-chance in the second minute, Mitch doing well to win possession in the box and when the ball ran to Fraser Fyvie, his twenty-yard shot was charged down.

Fyvie was then penalised for a challenge, and from the resultant free-kick Hester blasted a long range free-kick just over the bar.

Referee Nicolson waved away our penalty claims when Steeves upended Fyvie in the area, and as the move continued, Megginson shot just wide of the left post with an angled effort. The boys were playing some nice football now, dominating the game, and Yule had  a dangerous cross cut out before Harrington shot just over from twenty-three yards.

We came agonisingly close to scoring with twenty minutes gone. From a superb Fyvie ball over the top, Mitch Megginson showed strength to shrug off Steeves then blasted in a powerful angled effort which Gill tipped over.

Against the run of play, the visitors should have edged in front. A long ball forward was chased down by Hester and when Nick Suman came out to confront him, the striker appeared to initiate contact before tumbling to the ground. After a brief pause, the ref pointed to the spot. Craig Brown grabbed the ball, and shot low to Suman’s left, but the big keeper guessed correctly and pulled off an outstanding stop, pushing it round the post.

Cove were on top as the second half got underway and Declan Glass came close with a shot which flashed across the box, but we finally made the breakthrough in the forty-ninth minute. Harrington flighted an accurate pass forward, Yule gathered and curled in an excellent cross, and Mitch MEGGINSON took a touch, rounded Gill, and rolled the ball into the unguarded net.

The dominance continued, Glass sending in a couple of crosses which were cut out before Scully fired in a dangerous delivery which failed to find a team-mate.

Gillingham and Parker looked to have formed an instant understanding, both putting in impressive performances as part of what was a much more solid looking back line, and in their forays forward, Montrose were frustrated time after time.

Connor Scully was teed-up by Fyvie, but volleyed wide, then Mitch Megginson also failed to find the target having wriggled free in the box. Harrington was a constant threat down the left, and after his latest cross was half-blocked, Megginson tried again, his flick clearing the crossbar.

Bertie did find space for the visitors and crossed from the left, but Parker was calm, and headed the ball away from danger wide of the right post.

The boys played the game out in a professional manner, and apart from a couple of shots from Fraser Fyvie and Adam Emslie, both of which were charged down, they ran the clock down comfortably enough.

The cheers which greeted the final whistle were borne of relief as much as anything, the team understandably celebrating not only their first clean sheet of the campaign, but also the victory which lifts them off the bottom of the table.

COVE RANGERS (4-4-1-1): Suman; Doyle, Gillingham, Parker, Harrington; Yule, Darge, Fyvie (c), Scully; Glass (Emslie 72); Megginson (McGrath 78)

Substitutes: Demus, Ochmanski, McAllister, Marshall, Donaldson, Gaffney, Milnes

Goalscorers: Megginson (49)

Booked: Darge (62), Gillingham (80)

MONTROSE (4-2-3-1): Gill; Williamson, Quinn (Shrive 62), Steeves, Hannah (Dillon 46); Gardyne, Machado (McKenzie 46); Brown, Masson (c) (Bertie 72), Lyons (MacIver-Redwood 59); Hester

Substitutes: Matthews, Smith

Goalscorers:

Booked: Masson (19), Bertie (90)

Referee: Duncan Nicolson

Attendance: 479

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