Petrie says point was fair as dire draw puts paid to winning run

MONTROSE: Gable Endies play out drab stalemate with Blue Toon at Balmoor

PETERHEAD 0 MONTROSE 0

Montrose manager Stewart Petrie admitted his men failed to replicate their recent performance levels against Peterhead and was therefore happy to leave Balmoor with a point.

The Gable Endies were aiming to extend their excellent winning sequence in League 1 to seven matches, but had to settle for a share of the spoils following a low-key contest.

Petrie said: “I think it was probably a fair result. Both teams cancelled each other out and it was a tight game with no real chances of any note that I can remember.

“Both goalkeepers did fine but they did not have to make any great saves either but when you come to Peterhead, anything you take is a bonus.

“We are more than happy to go away with a point, especially when we did not hit the heights we have reached lately.”

It was far from a classic in Aberdeenshire, although Peterhead moved the ball about well in the first period without ever troubling Aaron Lennox.

Montrose, despite their impressive sequence of victories, struggled to exert pressure on their opponents prior to the interval but they did enjoy the bulk of the possession after the break.

Too often, however, they were let down by their final ball or pass and the goalless draw appeared inevitable long before referee Gavin Duncan blew up for full-time.

Petrie, whose side remain fifth in the table just three points outside the promotion play-offs, was keen to draw on the positives.

The Links Parks boss added: “Three clean sheets on the trot is a big positive and we have also kept our run going.

“To go seven games unbeaten is a great feat and it is all credit to the squad.

“We now have a break from the league when we go into a tough Scottish Cup game against Bonnyrigg Rose but we will worry about that later on in the week.”

Blue Toon manager Jim Mcinally said: “Both teams cancelled each other out. I thought we were better in the first half without looking like scoring.

“For half of the second half they controlled it until we changed the shape. They had an extra man in the middle of the park and we had to adjust to that.

“It needed a bit of magic or a mistake to win the game, but it didn’t come.”

SNS. October manager of the month Stewart Petrie saw his side stretch their unbeaten run to seven.

Jim Mcinally rued the lack of any magic or mistakes to bring a goal in a low-key encounter at Balmoor.