Montrose v Peterhead

Recap

Montrose 4

C Ballantyne (2),

Lyons (15‎, 27)

Allan (60‎)‎

Peterhead 3

Cook (44‎)‎

Lyle (68)‎

S Brown (80‎)

Despite scoring six goals at Links Park this season Peterhead have not been able to pick up any points at Montrose after losing 4-3 at the Angus ground for the second time this season.

Controversial decisions at the start and the end of the game affected Peterhead adversely however poor defending on the Blue Toon’s part was also a contributing factor in the defeat.

With less than two minutes played Peterhead were all set to take a throw in however the match officials surprisingly awarded the shy to Montrose and with the visitors unsettled one of the two Cammy Ballantyne’s in the Montrose team took full advantage and cracked a shot home.

The afternoon worsened on 15 minutes when the ball was lost in midfield and chipped in between the visiting defence and goalkeeper Greg Fleming. Unfortunately, from a Peterhead point of view, no-one took control of the situation and Blair Lyons took the ball around the Blue Toon shot-stopper and slotted in.

It was 3-0 12 minutes later when Lyons clipped in his second however Peterhead responded well to the mountain they had to climb.

Alan Cook spurned the chance of getting a foothold when he sent a header wide however the former Stenhousemuir soon made amends with a great cross to Derek Lyle but the striker looked to be taken by surprise by Cook’s delivery and failed to convert.

Peterhead did get into the game just before half-time and it came in spectacular fashion with Cook lashing home a long-distance effort.

Manager Jim McInally brough on striker Aidan Smith for midfielder Andrew McCarthy at half-time in a bid to go for goals in the second half.

A spell of pressure failed to bring a goal at the start of the second half and to make matters worse Peterhead fell three behind for a second time when Matty Allan headed home with an hour played.

To their credit Peterhead rallied and Lyle made up for his earlier miss on 68 minutes when he looped over Aaron Lennox and it was 4-3 with ten minutes to go when Scott Brown curled home from 20 yards.

Peterhead were awarded the chance to grab an equaliser in the closing stages when referee Graham Beaton pointed to the spot however after discussions with one of his assistants the award was overturned.

Whilst there was little complaint at that sequence of events there was disappointment in the closing stages when what looked like a handball in the Montrose box went unpunished.

Peterhead – Fleming, Hooper, Boyle, J Brown 90‎, Stevenson (Ferguson 85‎), S Brown,‎ Leitch, McCarthy (Smith 46‎), Cook, Lyle, Boyd (Fraser 67′)