Gable Endies will go all out in ‘free-hit’ cup tie

Montrose may have what manager Stewart Petrie calls a “free-hit” in the cup but he stressed they will be going all out to get through.

The Gable Endies hope to do League Two proud when they welcome Championship side Queen of the South to Links Park this afternoon.

Montrose will certainly receive respect from the Dumfries side, having gone unbeaten in the league since September 23 and only losing in the Irn-Bru Cup to the Doonhamers in extra-time after leading until three minutes from the end of the 90.

Petrie said: “You could say that we have something of a free-hit in this game because Queen of the South are a Championship side but we will still be doing all we can to try to win the game.

“There is usually at least one cup shock at this stage of the competition so maybe we can be involved in that. It would be nice.

“We know, though, that they are a really good side because we played them just a few weeks ago. So we are under no illusions as to just how tough it will be to get through to the next round.

“Mind you, if you do get through then that’s the time when you get all the big guns coming in so that would be exciting.

“We are going well in the league and did well against Queens the last time so we are in decent shape for this one.”

Petrie revealed that defender Michael Bolochowekyj is being loaned to East Stirling, with the plan being that he will return to Links Park match-fit and ready to get back into the Montrose team in the new year.

Queens manager Gary Naysmith agreed that there is little he can do to surprise Petrie and a Montrose squad he reckons have shown to be the best in League Two throughout this year.

Naysmith said: “There will be no surprises from either side.

“We know that we will be in for a very difficult game, especially if we start as poorly as we did last month.

“We deserved to win, but we needed a very late goal to rescue us and take the game to extra-time.”

“There is no way that we can start as badly again but there is also no way we can underestimate Montrose.

“They have Gary Fraser, Liam Callaghan and Martyn Fotheringham on the bench and that shows the strength in depth that Stewart and his assistant Ross Campbell have put together.

“They have been the best team in League Two in 2017 and we are the only team to beat them in the last seven games so it will be tough.”