Gable Endies beat Cove to secure top-five place

Montrose clinched their place in League One’s top five after the split with a superb victory over a Cove Rangers side who went into the game as joint league leaders.

Montrose took the lead in the first half and a disciplined defensive display saw them home.

Cove looked lively at the start and home keeper Alan Fleming was forced into a double save when he kept out an angled drive from Blair Yule and a follow-up from Connor Smith.

Montrose had their first chance on 11 minutes when Lewis Milne cut inside and fired in a shot which was saved by Stuart Mckenzie.

Montrose took the lead on 15 minutes.

Liam Callaghan curled a corner to the near post and the ball came off the head of Fraser Fyvie for an own goal.

On 21 minutes a great tackle from Aiden Quinn halted Mitch Megginson.

Two minutes later a dipping drive from Montrose’s Chris Mochrie was saved by Mckenzie.

Montrose began the second half well and Mckenzie had to come way out of his goal to deny halftime substitute Terry Masson.

Cove exerted pressure and Smith headed wide from a great position.

Back came Montrose and a Harry Cochrane cross was just missed in the middle by Russell Mclean.

On 70 minutes a Scott Ross header from a corner was cleared off the Montrose line.

As time ran out, Fleming made another double save to deny Ross Graham and Fyvie.

A minute from time, Mcintosh went down in the box to loud appeals but the referee said no penalty.

In added-time, Cove were reduced to 10 men when Ryan Strachan was sent off for pulling back Mclean.