Feb 1, 2020
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′)
Sep 28, 2019
Montrose 4-3 Peterhead
An entertaining seven-goal thriller went the way of basement side Montrose as Peterhead struggled to contain two former players.
Jim McInally’s men looked as though they would collect at least a point from Links Park after coming from 3-1 behind.
But the home team came up with the winner through ex Blue Toon loanee Graham Webster, his second of the game, to register their first victory of the League 1 season.
Joel MacBeath gave the hosts the advantage in the 13th minute when he neatly guided in a back post volley from a tight angle following a corner.
Peterhead were back level six minutes later through a lucky Scott Brown strike, which took a huge deflection off Sean Dillon to wrong-foot Aaron Lennox.
That did not hinder Montrose, who regained the initiative in the 27th minute, Webster bending a 25 yard left foot shot inside the far post.
Paul Watson, who played for Peterhead under John Sheran’s reign, added a third for the Gable Endies just before half-time with a stinging, low drive from fully 30 yards, which beat Greg Fleming.
However, the visitors were right back in the contest early the second half, scoring twice in a matter of minutes.
Mick Dunlop pounced when Montrose failed to clear a free-kick and then Jamie Stevenson showed superb technique to volley in a 12 yard shot after Derek Lyle saw two efforts blocked.
The momentum was with Peterhead but the points ended up with Montrose as Webster powered a 67th minute drive from distance inside the far post.
Fleming, Ferguson, Boyle, J.Brown, Dunlop, Ferry (Conroy 46), Stevenson, S.Brown, Fraser (Smith 70), Lyle (Armour 76), McAllister
Unused. Wilson. Hooper
