Montrose hold on to close in on play-offs

Two first half goals helped Montrose close in on a League Two promotion play-off place with victory over a managerless Bully Wee still reeling from Barry Ferguson’s resignation.

They saw things out in the second half are now within five points of fourth-placed Annan

Boss Stewart Petrie said: “In the first half we were comfortable and played some good stuff.

“We deserved to be 2-0 ahead at half-time but we had to hang on a bit at the end.”

The Gable Endies almost fell behind to a sensational goal after just 20 seconds when Clyde’s Peter MacDonald latched onto a Greg Pascazio header 25 yards out and sent a scissors-kick inches past.

The visitors took the lead in five minutes when Kerr Hay drilled in his first goal for the club after Cammy Ballantyne was denied by John Gibson.

The Bully Wee hit back and MacDonald came close with a diving header before Gibson produced a finger-tip save to turn over a Pascazio header.

A second goal did arrive three minutes from the break. A Chris Templeman header was cleared off the line by MacDonald but the ball struck Pascazio and rolled in.

Only a finger-tip save from Gibson stopped Pascazio adding to the lead 14 minutes into the second half.

As Montrose dominated Terry Masson flicked a Templeman knockdown inches wide.

MacDonald sent Gormley clear on goal and he looked set to score until Ballantyne slid in to block his effort.

Clyde pulled a goal back on 73 minutes when MacDonald headed in a Scott Linton corner.

A Matty Smith foul 20 yards out gave Clyde a chance five minutes from time but MacDonald’s effort curled wide.

Montrose survived an injurytime scramble to earn the win.

Clyde: Gibson, McMillan, Perry, Smith (McNiff 46), Linton, McKenzie (Johnston 69), McNeil, McLaughlin, Ferguson (Gormley 46), MacDonald, Higgins. Subs: Quinn, Flynn, Finnie, McGovern.

Montrose: Millar, Ballantyne, Callaghan, McWalter, Pascazio, Bolochoweckyj, Thomas (MacDonald 84), Masson, Smith, Templeman (Fraser 69), Hay (Webster 54). Subs: Fleming, Allan, Campbell, Ferguson.

Referee - Grant Irvine.