Templeman a super sub for Gable Endies

EDINBURGH CITY 1 MONTROSE 1

Veteran striker Chris Templeman was happy to have contributed to Montrose’s great escape at Meadowbank Stadium on Saturday as Cameron Ballantyne’s 89th-minute equaliser cancelled out Josh Walker’s first-half screamer and rescued a valuable point for the visitors.

There was no trademark headed goal from the much-travelled 6ft 5in forward, but Templeman’s arrival as a second-half substitute for Matty Allan was a bold move which paid off for manager Stewart Petrie.

The 37-year-old linked up with lone striker Gary Fraser to give Montrose options in attack, and Templeman used his experience and physique to unsettle a home defence that grew increasingly nervous as City edged closer to their first win since Hogmanay.

“I didn’t really think it (the equaliser) was gonna come,” said Templeman.

“Their goalkeeper (Andy Stobie) made a couple of great saves to deny us, but it was a good header to finally beat him.

“We’re delighted to get a point. Edinburgh City were definitely the better team in the first half and we were in the second, so a draw was about the right result.

“You’re always looking to come on when you’re not starting games, and the manager just told me to go up front and help us get an equaliser. We had three or four up front at one stage.”

A spot in the promotion play-offs still looks a long shot, especially as Montrose now trail fourth-placed Annan by six points, and Templeman said: “We just need to keep going. We have another hard game coming up next week away to Forfar.”

Manager Petrie, who took over in early-December with the club at the bottom of League Two, said: “Nobody comes here and finds it easy, so we’re happy with a point, especially after falling behind.

“We’re not thinking about the play-offs. We’re just trying to gather as many points as we can.”