Montrose ‘not going to get carried away’

STIRLING ALBION 0 MONTROSE 5

Montrose manager Stewart Petrie refused to get carried away despite his side thrashing Stirling Albion at Forthbank to keep their Ladbrokes League 2 title dream on track.

Midfielder Lewis Milne had a second-half hat-trick after Martin Rennie opened the scoring. On-loan Dundee United full-back Cammy Ballantyne also scored.

The Gable Endies trail Peterhead on goal difference but have a game in hand at bottom club Cowdenbeath tomorrow night, then host struggling Berwick Rangers on Saturday.

Petrie said: “The first 20 minutes were really tight but we got the first goal and that settled us down.

“It was a sensational strike from Lewis Milne for the second goal, and with Willie Robertson getting sent off it made it doubly hard for Stirling.

“Stirling are a good side, so to win here for the second time in the league this season is a great achievement. We’d never have dreamed of a score like this. We’d have bitten your hand off for 1-0.

“It’s a big result but we are not going to get carried away.

“For 60 minutes there was very little in the game, and our feet are firmly on the ground. We’re guaranteed a top-two finish and we’re in with a shout (of the title) but Cowdenbeath won’t be easy on Tuesday night.”

There wasn’t much between the teams in the first half but Rennie made the breakthrough with a fine low finish from 20 yards after 27 minutes and Darren Smith was denied an equaliser when his volley came back off the post.

Milne found the net with a wonderful strike from distance in 63 minutes and Robertson then saw red for his second booking in quick succession.

Cammy Ballantyne hammered the ball past Craig Wight for the third goal with 15 minutes left.

Milne then made space in the box and sent a drive into the corner.

The former Forfar player completed his hat-trick in the third minute of added time with a deflected free-kick from 20 yards.