Gable Endies seal loan deal for Dee teen Lyall

Montrose have signed Dundee teenager Lyall Cameron on loan until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old midfielder joins Stewart Petrie’s side as they continue their push for promotion to the Championship.

Cameron spent the first half of the campaign with Peterhead.

He made 19 appearances for the Blue Toon, scoring twice, before being recalled by the Dark Blues at the turn of the year.

Gable Endies boss Petrie said he had always been impressed with the Cameron when up against his side.

“Every time we played Peterhead he was a real handful,” he told Courier Sport.

“He has bags of ability, energy, pace and he’s skilful.

“We played them on Tuesday night in a friendly game and he was absolutely outstanding against us and it just materialised from there. We’re over the moon to get him in.

“Hopefully it will give us that other bit of spark that has been missing the last few weeks.

“He’ll add competition in that forward area, with Michael Gardyne and Graham Webster.”

Cameron could make his Montrose debut today when the side travel to Firhill to face Queen’s Park, although it is likely he will start the game on the bench.

Meanwhile, Petrie has been dealt a blow after his side lost its appeal over Blair Lyons’ red card last weekend.

The on-loan Partick Thistle forward was given his marching orders late in the 1-1 home draw with Clyde.

Lyons was adjudged to have deliberately stamped on the Bully Wee’s Nick Mcallister.

The Gable Endies appealed the decision earlier this week but the SFA upheld the referee’s decision with Lyons now serving a two-game ban.

While he admits Lyons did step on the player, Petrie was dismayed at the decision.

“The appeal has been turned down,” he said.

“He’s going to serve a two-match ban which we’re absolutely gutted about.

“How someone can think he deliberately stood on the guy is beyond me. But that’s the decision that they’ve come to. He’s not got a malicious bone in his body. He just tried to get away from the challenge.

“It’s certainly not deliberate.

“When you watch the video you can see from the reaction from the Clyde players that they know it as well that he’s not meant to stand on him.

“He did stand on him and there is contact, but if they deem that it’s deliberate then that’s their opinion of it. We’re really disappointed with the outcome of that.”

While Lyons drops out of the squad, Paul Watson returns from his one-game suspension.

And Petrie should have a full enough squad available to him for the trip to Queen’s Park.

The Spiders have not lost this season and the Montrose boss is fully aware of the task at hand.

“They’ve had a lot of draws but they are a good side,” Petrie said.

“I watched their games last week against East Fife and they played some super stuff at times.

“Their pitch won’t help them. It will be a challenge for both sides and we know exactly what we’re facing.”

Defender Andrew Steeves has become the fourth member of the current squad to reach the 250-appearances milestone for the Links Park outfit.

The ex-st Johnstone man arrived at Links Park on loan from Forfar in March 2015 before penning a permanent deal the following season.

Petrie said: “This is a great achievement for Andrew but comes as no real surprise.

“His attitude, application and incredible levels of consistency means he remains arguably one of the best left-backs in the league.

“He is exactly the calibre of player we want to attract and retain at the club.”

Steeves joins Terry Masson, Paul Watson and Graham Webster as the youngest member of the 250 club.

ENERGY, PACE AND SKILL: Lyall Cameron, right, could make his Gable Endies debut against Queen’s Park at Firhill today.