Keepers excel in first-leg stalemate

MONTROSE

Templeman 14

PETERHEAD

Strachan 10

1

It’s honours even in this League One play-off semi-final after a tight game finished 1-1 with both goals coming in the opening 15 minutes.

Ryan Strachan netted for the visitors before Chris Templeman levelled shortly after.

The sides will now meet at Balmoor on Saturday with the tie neatly poised for an enthralling second leg.

It was a cagey opening affair but it didn’t take long for the opening goal, Strachan scoring from 40-plus yards after Cammy Ballantyne miskicked a defensive clearance – a sublime strike by the Blue Toon man.

Matty Allan hit the bar at the other end before Templeman pulled the hosts level from inside the box on 15 minutes.

The first half ebbed out with no further goals but a number of niggling fouls, the pressure of possible relegation or promotion beginning to take its toll.

Graham Webster had a stunning chance to make it 2-1 right on half-time, sending a fierce half-volley toward the bottom corner after Templeman, pictured, had chested a long ball into his path, but Graeme Smith saved strongly.

Matty Smith should have done better from inside the box but, under no pressure, he blasted his shot right at the Blue Toon goalie. Montrose captain Paul Watson had a great header saved five minutes later, Smith again proving a serious obstacle. Allan Fleming had to save seconds later from a low Rory Mcallister drive and made a stunning save in injury time with his feet from Mcallister to ensure parity for the second leg. Forfar Athletic staged a late fightback to ensure parity at the halfway stage of this League 1 play-off semi-final after Annan Athletic had threatened to take command with a two-goal burst in the opening 16 minutes.

The Angus side went into the match on a downer after a 4-2 defeat at home to Annan on the last day of the regulation season at the weekend killed off their title hopes. The hosts had matters of their own to contend with as it emerged on the eve of the match that chairman Henry Mcclelland had been charged with betting on football, including matches involving his own team.

Mcclelland was at Galabank last night, and he witnessed his team make a rapid start. Annan took the lead in the fourth minute when Peter Weatherson glanced home a header from Aidan Smith’s cross.

The hosts doubled their advantage in the 16th minute after Smith seized on a loose ball and was upended as he tried to round Grant Adam. The goalkeeper thought he’d redeemed himself when he saved Smith’s spot-kick but the striker forced home the rebound.

The visitors almost pulled one back in the 32nd minute but Gavin Swankie had a header saved from a David Cox cross.

Forfar had several chances in the second half, with Jamie Bain spurning three of them and Cox hitting the bar and seeing an effort cleared off the line. Their pressure eventually paid off in the 82nd minute when Michael Travis headed in Swankie’s corner. A minute later Martyn Fotheringham levelled the tie with a magnificent free-kick from 25 yards out.