Gable Endies earn plaudits for spirit and organisation

ROSS COUNTY 3 MONTROSE 1

Craig Johnston is convinced Montrose can draw positives from defeat in Dingwall and kick-start a recovery in league fortunes.

The Angus club fought valiantly under heavy fire from competition favourites Ross County, dragging the game back to 2-1 against the odds through Johnston’s finish just before half-time.

Ultimately, they were fortunate to survive a heftier beating by the hosts but drew praise from manager Stewart Petrie for spirit, work rate and organisation.

Johnston agreed: “We gave a good account of ourselves. We did well to keep it tight and not lose four, five or six goals. We showed discipline to keep it at three.

“You can see from Ross County’s results, they’re in right good form. They’re beating teams in their own league by three or four goals, so we knew it would be tough.

“But we have a close-knit bunch and we’re well-organised by the gaffer.

“We beat Falkirk earlier in the season, but this was a step up in quality, although there was a belief we could cause County problems.

“We’re sitting bottom of the league but I don’t feel we should be there. There have been a few defeats and draws where I’ve felt we deserved better. We deserve more points.

“But that’s the first quarter of the season done and we need to take this performance into the second quarter of the league and turn our season around.”

After 20 minutes ex St Mirren striker Ross Stewart was sharply on to a clever through pass from Don Cowie before slotting home.

Having forced a couple of fine Allan Fleming saves, the Staggies doubled the lead after 41 minutes.

Wide man Davis Keillor-Dunn had a strike blocked after cutting in from the left, before stabbing the rebound in through a ruck of bodies.

But County were caught napping a minute before the break as Martin Rennie flicked on a Jamie Redman ball forward and home skipper Liam Fontaine misjudged the bounce.

Craig Johnston ran on to knock a finish past Scott Fox.

It took County six second-half minutes to make amends, with Keillor-Dunn cutting a Lindsay pass into the corner of the net from a 10- yard angle.

Montrose gaffer Stewart Petrie said: “It was massively impressive from Ross County.

“Since I have come to Montrose that’s the best team we’ve played.

“It will take a hell of a team to beat County in the Championship. If there is a better team in that league they will be a right good side. That’s as big an accolade as I can give them.

“I thought they were excellent today, and credit to our guys in keeping shape and discipline and to keep plugging away.

“I’m really proud of them for doing that. They could easily have collapsed and gone and got a real hiding. To a man they gave us everything, and always do. They were excellent.

“But the quality that Stuart (Kettlewell) and Fergie (Steven Ferguson) have here is excellent. It is very difficult against a team that good and in the form they’re in.

“The strength and pace was there for everybody to see but, no, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip up.

“I’m really proud of the guys and said that after the game. If they give us that effort and commitment going forward we’ll certainly cause teams problems through the rest of the season.

“Being bottom of the table doesn’t phase us at all. At quarter to five last week we were seventh. If we went and nicked a goal we’d have been fourth.

“We lose a goal at 10 to five and we’re 10th. The league position doesn’t make any difference at this moment in time.”

Picture: SNS.