Petrie vows Gable Endies will recover from setback

Montrose lost their unbeaten league record as they crashed 3-1 at home to League Two leaders Stirling Albion in the division’s game of the day.

Stirling are now four points clear at the top, leaving Montrose boss Stewart Petrie disappointed.

He said: “The first goal was allimportant. We gave away a poor free-kick, then the shot took a deflection on its way in.

“We changed our shape at halftime, but were caught with a sucker punch when they scored in the first minute and that took the wind out of us.

“We huffed and puffed in the second half, but if we had got our goal a bit earlier, things might have been.

“I am disappointed to lose at home, but we will dust ourselves down and go again.

“We are going to get setbacks, but we will get the team ready for Elgin next week, when I hope there will be a reaction.”

Montrose made a lively start, but it was Stirling who scored on 14 minutes. Montrose failed to deal with a free-kick and the ball fell for Callum Morrison to score with the aid of a deflection.

The home side tried to reply and Iain Campbell curled a free-kick just over the bar, then on the half hour mark, Chris Templeman had a header saved as Matty Allan tried to get a touch to the ball.

On 35 minutes, Willie Robertson had a shot beaten away by Allan Fleming.

Stirling scored a second in the first minute of the second half when Sean Dickson, just on as a substitute, headed home a Ewan McNeil cross.

Stirling looked as likely to score as the home side as the second half progressed, but Montrose went close when a Martyn Fotheringham corner was nearly punched into his own net by keeper Cameron Binnie.

The clock had just ticked beyond the 90 minutes when Montrose got a goal back. Cammy Ballantyne sent in a cross and Ryan Ferguson forced the ball home.

Four minutes into added time, Stirling sealed the points with the most bizarre of goals.

Fleming went up for a corner and when the ball was cleared, Morrison ran from inside his own half totally unchallenged and rolled the ball into an empty net.