Montrose -vs- Stenhousemuir (Saturday 14 September 2024)

[Francesc Fabregas]

Montrose welcome Stenhousemuir to Links Park on Saturday for what is sure to be a terrific encounter - I'm looking forward to it already! Stewart Petrie's team have made a so-so start to the season with one win and three draws, but they lost heavily on their last outing, going down 3-0 to Arbroath. Can a resurgent Stenny do the business and stick another couple past them? I certainly hope so! And I'll be there to see it happen!

Gary Naysmith's team have hit a bit of form recently, recording impressive back-to-back victories in the league and then edging beyond Falkirk in the SPFL Trust Trophy last weekend. While the Bairns could have easily won the game, Stenhousemuir showed grit and resolve to hold them at bay before progressing courtesy of penalty kicks, and we'll need to reprise this if we're to get the better of the Mo. There are a number of tricky attackers in their ranks like Blair Lyons and Craig Brown, while Kane Hester is a supreme striker (even if he did have a bit of a stinker at the weekend). On top of that, key players were rested against Arbroath and should be in good shape coming into this game.

If Petrie is likely to make some changes here, then so too is Naysmith. He selected a more conservative line-up to take on Falkirk, dropping Euan O'Reilly and Ross Taylor to the bench in place of midfield solidity, but I imagine both will be restored to the starting XI. Elsewhere, you know exactly what you're going to get:

- Matty Aitken -

- Ross Taylor - Blair Alston - Euan O'Reilly -

- Mikey Anderson - Nat Wedderburn -

- Kinlay Bilham - Kyle Banner - Gregor Buchanan - Ross Meechan -

- Darren Jamieson -

Montrose are a club I have a lot of respect for, and Links Park is one of the best grounds to visit in the SPFL, so there's plenty to get excited about. If we play well, we can beat them.

It really is that simple!

[Brummo]

3 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

Montrose are a club I have a lot of respect for, and Links Park is one of the best grounds to visit in the SPFL, so there's plenty to get excited about. If we play well, we can beat them.

It really is that simple!

Football, being "a funny old game" is rarely that simple or that funny, for that matter. Judging by Stenny's current form, Montrose will need to play much better than they have been of late, to take anything from this game.

 

[Neilly]

Segregation in place seems completely unnecessary. Always made it one of the better away days being able to switch ends at half time and I can't recall any bother at all at Links Park in any of my visits there.

Also no PATG option for away fans but they do for home fans? What an absolute nonsense. Why do Scottish football clubs continue to make it difficult for customers particular when the customer bases are so small?

It's bewildering and our own club have been guilty of similar in recent times.

Edited September 11 by Neilly

[Ivo den Bieman]

Montrose 2 (McGlashan, James Sinnett o.g.) Stenhousemuir 2 (Millar Mathieson, some other diddy)

Won't make this alas as working. But should be a decent game.

[Scorge]

19 hours ago, Neilly said:

Segregation in place seems completely unnecessary. Always made it one of the better away days being able to switch ends at half time

Why do Scottish football clubs continue to make it difficult for customers particular when the customer bases are so small?

It's bewildering and our own club have been guilty of similar in recent times.

Yeah, agree.

Montrose 1 (Isiah Whitlock Jr. o.g) Shhhhhhheeeeeiiithousemuir 0 plz

[broomiesniper]

also found the decision to segregate this fixture a bit strange

Not overly confident going in to this match, Stenny off the back of 2 impressive results and Montrose..........not!  Both of the last 2 defeats were after starting brightly then not taking chances and the inevitable 'concede at the other end' scenario.

Not sure what the best striking lineup should be for us, MacIver Redwood has impressed me, strong in the air, Lyons play off him maybe?  Hester has missed, or not even reacted to, some favourable opportunites so far this season, hopefully it takes ones to go in off his arse to get him up and running.  Appreciate he is also just back from injury but also can't help wondering if League 1 is a step too far for him?  Maybe we don't play to his strengths either, who knows

 

 

[mo83]

Looking forward to this....COYM

[Mo-time]

I'm thinking / hoping that we have very rarely lost three games in a row during the Stewart Petrie era so there should be the usual bounce-back.

I'm going for a Mo win or a draw.  But totally agree we need to find our shooting boots. We normally get goals from all around the team so it's not all on Hester - and he did score a great goal against Caley.

Missing Webby has been a blow, hopefully he will be back soon.

[Mo-time]

2-0 half time and the Mo passing Stenny off the park.  Early goal from Hester following a passing move involving 2-3 players.  Then individual effort from Williamson taking on half the Stenny defence.

Interesting battle of the oldies, Gardyne and Alston man-marking each other. Gardyne having the better game so far.

Stenny look like they can be dangerous from set pieces but only quarter chances so far. No stand out player for them in this half.

 

 

[Mo-time]

13 minutes ago, Mo-time said:

2-0 half time and the Mo passing Stenny off the park.  Early goal from Hester following a passing move involving 2-3 players.  Then individual effort from Williamson taking on half the Stenny defence.

 

Interesting battle of the oldies, Gardyne and Alston man-marking each other. Gardyne having the better game so far.

Stenny look like they can be dangerous from set pieces but only quarter chances so far. No stand out player for them in this half.

 

 

Apologies, since seen that Alston is only 32 yo.  I got confused by the grey hair and career longevity.  Gardyne had still smoked him anyway.

[Brummo]

McCowans Heilan Coo, Francesc Fabregas, Neilly etc. your guys just took one helluva beating.

Edited September 14 by Brummo

[PortyMo]

Stenny started both halves very well but after we scored first half and after 10 minutes in the second, we took control. Good to see Hester scoring, hopefully give him a bit of confidence but he should have got another when he was clean through on the keeper. 

Delighted for Ryan Williamson to score and get a thoroughly deserved MOM. I've been a big critic of him but he has been excellent this season.

Thought Masson was very lucky to stay on the pitch after his crunching tackle. Thought SP would have hooked him in the second half when it started getting a bit feisty in midfield. 

Stenny #9 was a real fanny. Fouling all the time and going down greeting when anyone brushed against him.

A very welcome and deserved 3 points. Get it up ye Matthew Aitken. Edited to say and Craig G. Telfer.

Edited September 14 by PortyMo

[Aidan]

I actually quite like @Francesc Fabregas but still get it right up you!! I was unfortunately not able to make the game but did take in Dundee North End vs Scone, it was strange not giving Grant Adam pelters all day. 

[Scorge]

Easier game than expected. Ton of niggly fouling which did nothing to help the flow. I felt we made much more of our spells going forward than Stenny, who couldn't unlock us for love nor money. Gardyne MOTM for me as he controlled everything in the middle, but two very nice finishes in the first half. Hope Kane takes confidence from it and pushes on. 

[mo83]

Superb from front to back today...Fully deserved the 3 points COYM  

[Nigel Blackwell]

Naysmith has summed this up perfectly in his post match interview. Best team won but 3 flattered Montrose.

It is a roller coaster with the team this season. We played much better in the 2nd half and if we'd got that goal at the start of the half who knows what might have happened.

Montrose were as good as anything I've seen so far. Not spectacular, but competent across the pitch.

 

[mo83]

34 minutes ago, Nigel Blackwell said:

Naysmith has summed this up perfectly in his post match interview. Best team won but 3 flattered Montrose.

It is a roller coaster with the team this season. We played much better in the 2nd half and if we'd got that goal at the start of the half who knows what might have happened.

Montrose were as good as anything I've seen so far. Not spectacular, but competent across the pitch.

 

Good game really enjoyed it.

You can see Stenny will be a decent outfit and have no problem staying in L1 this year which should be their aim,which I think they will easily do.

[Neilly]

Comfortably beaten really although I think three was a little harsh on the balance of play.

Neither goalkeeper had a save to make in the full game that I can remember - from our point of view the goals conceded were so poor but credit to Montrose they were efficient all over the park and deserved to win the game.

They are a very streetwise outfit and just had a bit more guile than us on the day. Gardyne ran the game in midfeld in their good spells, Hester was sharp as a tack and Ryan Williamson had the best individual display against us I've seen this season - he was an absolute machine down the right flank. He's had a career ruined by injury but that looked like the kid off the street when he came through at Dunfermline.

We huffed and puffed in the second half and Alston should really score shortly after half time. Outwith that we never created enough to merit anything from the game.

Euan O'Reilly was a huge miss - aye he's quality going forward on his day but his work rate going back the way is equally as good and that was just not there with Allan today. 

We can't get too down on that game though and we'll come again I'm sure. I take comfort from the league table it's a stramash of teams who are much of a muchness and if you aren't quite at it then you'll lose the game like we did today. 

Montrose really need to sort themselves out though as a club what a shambles today was. I've always liked them as a club but they have to do better.

First of all they advertise no PATG for away fans. This is poor anyway but the online portal for buying tickets did not work and actually caused viruses on your phone when trying to purchase for the majority of people. Then get to the ground and there IS a PATG option which was communicated to nobody.

Then the segregation nonsense for a crowd of 300 odd people. Absolutely laughable. One of the best grounds in Scotland to roam free but they pen people into one area of the ground for no reason. It's head scratching and will lose a lot of goodwill towards them.

I'm sure someone from the club will read this so will hopefully take it on board moving forward. We don't carry a big support obviously but I would imagine the experience will put people off returning for the next game and every penny should be a prisoner when crowds are circa 300 odd.

 

 

 

[LeodhasXD]

31 minutes ago, Neilly said:

First of all they advertise no PATG for away fans. This is poor anyway but the online portal for buying tickets did not work and actually caused viruses on your phone when trying to purchase for the majority of people. Then get to the ground and there IS a PATG option which was communicated to nobody.

Seconded - that's bad!

[PortyMo]

1 hour ago, Neilly said:

Comfortably beaten really although I think three was a little harsh on the balance of play.

Neither goalkeeper had a save to make in the full game that I can remember - from our point of view the goals conceded were so poor but credit to Montrose they were efficient all over the park and deserved to win the game.

They are a very streetwise outfit and just had a bit more guile than us on the day. Gardyne ran the game in midfeld in their good spells, Hester was sharp as a tack and Ryan Williamson had the best individual display against us I've seen this season - he was an absolute machine down the right flank. He's had a career ruined by injury but that looked like the kid off the street when he came through at Dunfermline.

We huffed and puffed in the second half and Alston should really score shortly after half time. Outwith that we never created enough to merit anything from the game.

Euan O'Reilly was a huge miss - aye he's quality going forward on his day but his work rate going back the way is equally as good and that was just not there with Allan today. 

We can't get too down on that game though and we'll come again I'm sure. I take comfort from the league table it's a stramash of teams who are much of a muchness and if you aren't quite at it then you'll lose the game like we did today. 

Montrose really need to sort themselves out though as a club what a shambles today was. I've always liked them as a club but they have to do better.

First of all they advertise no PATG for away fans. This is poor anyway but the online portal for buying tickets did not work and actually caused viruses on your phone when trying to purchase for the majority of people. Then get to the ground and there IS a PATG option which was communicated to nobody.

Then the segregation nonsense for a crowd of 300 odd people. Absolutely laughable. One of the best grounds in Scotland to roam free but they pen people into one area of the ground for no reason. It's head scratching and will lose a lot of goodwill towards them.

I'm sure someone from the club will read this so will hopefully take it on board moving forward. We don't carry a big support obviously but I would imagine the experience will put people off returning for the next game and every penny should be a prisoner when crowds are circa 300 odd.

 

 

 

I'll pass these comments on to the club.