Gable Endies out for redemption

To become Kings of the Championship play-offs, Montrose must not forget about the Queens. On Tuesday Montrose face Morton for the second leg of the Championship play-off semi-final, aiming to add to Saturday’s 2-1 win.

It will be exactly two years to the day of their Dumfries disaster.

On that fateful day in 2019, the Angus side travelled to Queen of the South protecting a 2-1 first leg lead in the Championship play-off semi-final.

However, within 40 minutes the hosts had wiped the floor with Montrose as a Stephen Dobbie hat-trick helped them to a 5-0 half-time lead.

The dream of reaching Scottish football’s second tier had quickly turned into a nightmare that still haunts Montrose.

Montrose have a chance to exorcise the demons of that day this week and are ready to use that painful memory to drive them on to success.

“The guys who are still here from that game with Queen of the South will remember that we never gave ourselves a chance,” said Montrose manager Stewart Petrie.

“Stephen Dobbie was on fire and within half an hour the game was done.

“Hopefully we can give a better account of ourselves at Morton than we did at Queen of the South.”

Petrie is not the only one at Links Park stung by the memories from two years ago.

Saturday’s winning goalscorer Graham Webster admits the Palmerston pounding will be at the forefront of his mind as he faces Ton.

“Morton will come back, there’s nothing surer than that but we’ll be ready for that and definitely go in with a bit of confidence after this win,” he said.

“We’ve got to remember that we’ve been in this position before.

“We beat Queen of the South 2-1 in the first leg up here but we weren’t ready for the return leg on the Saturday.

“We got beat 5-0 and Stephen Dobbie scored a hat-trick. He was the main difference on the day.

“That’s why we have to be wary.

“Morton will come back, there’s nothing surer than that but we’ll be ready for that and definitely go in with a bit of confidence after this win.

“The experience down at Queen of the South will hopefully stand us in good stead for Tuesday.

“It will be a hard game down there. I’ve played down at Cappielow a few times and it’s always tough.”

They are in a far better place than they were this time six years ago.

Back in 2015, they faced Brora Rangers in a pyramid play-off with their very existence as a league club under threat.

For 29 second-half minutes Montrose were heading towards the Highland League before late goals from Marvin Andrews and Garry Wood rescued them from the drop.

Montrose are a very different club under Petrie’s charge.

They celebrated League Two title success in 2018 and have finished fourth in