The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Petrie hails character of team after fightback
Victory over title rivals leaves Links Park men with fate in own hands
It is advantage Montrose in the League Two title race.
The Links Park men twice came from behind to beat their main title rivals Peterhead 3-2 and now lead the Buchan men by three points with a game in hand.
However, Montrose boss Stewart Petrie remains determined to keep his feet firmly on the ground.
Petrie said: “We showed great character to come back twice against a very good side, but at the end of the day it is only three points.
“It was a super game. Both teams tried to get the ball down and scored some good goals and we were a bit fortunate to nick it.
“When we made it 1-1 we were on top, but we let them snatch a goal on the break and go back in front.
“This win doesn’t mean more than any other and there are a lot of points still to play for.
“I wouldn’t say we are favourites. “Credit to all my players, including Alan Fleming who made a great save from a header right at the end.
“It is in our own hands but we are not thinking like that. As you can see from results elsewhere today, no team is going to go out and win all their games.
“We will take a game at a time, starting at Clyde next Saturday.”
Peterhead had the first chance on seven minutes when a wind-assisted free-kick from Willie Gibson struck the bar.
On 21 minutes Fleming parried a Gibson free-kick and Alan Smith was offside as he tried to force home the rebound.
Montrose had another escape on 28 minutes when Chris Johnstone burst into the box and shot inches wide of the far post.
Peterhead opened the scoring on 37 minutes. Jamie Stevenson crossed from the right and Jordan Brown stole in to head home.
Montrose had the wind behind them in the second half and went close when Cammy Ballantyne shot just over from a Chris Templeman flick.
On the hour mark Gary Fraser unsettled the Peterhead defence and Terry Masson ran in to sidefoot home.
Peterhead went back in front three minutes later when Smith ran clear on a long ball.
It was 2-2 on 71 minutes. Templeman met a Lewis Milne free-kick and, just when it looked as if he had lost the chance to score, stretched to hook the ball home.
Montrose took the lead for the first time on 81 minutes. Fraser hooked the ball across goal and Milne headed home.
Two minutes into stoppage-time a Mason Robertson header was brilliantly saved by Fleming.
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Both teams tried to get the ball down and scored some good goals and we were a bit fortunate to nick it. STEWART PETRIE