Annan Athletic lifted the points in a match which will not be remembered for its silky fast flowing football. This was a battle between 2 teams desperate for a victory and it was Annan who won through thanks to an encouraging second half performance.

Montrose who went into the match with injury problems had their difficulties compounded by the injury to John Maitland in the 9^th minute which saw the promising youngster leave the field for hospital treatment and require several stitches in a nasty head gash.

Montrose were presented with an opportunity in the 2^nd minute when Kevin Neilson conceded a needless free kick on the edge of the box but Summersgill in the Annan goal pulled off an important save from Aaron Sinclair’s net bound effort.

Annan’s John Macbeth’s surging run down the left in the 21st minute ended with a dangerous ball across the face of the Montrose goal but it was about the only real opening created by Annan in a disappointing first half in which Montrose had the better of the play.

Montrose were presented with another free kick on the edge of the area in the 23^rd minute when Watson was penalised for a clumsy challenge on Sean Anderson but dissapointingly for the visitors, Sinclair’s free kick failed to hit the target.

The second half saw a much improved performance by Annan and you could sense that their gradual pressure on the Montrose rearguard would eventually pay dividends. Montrose’s player manager Steven Tweed conceded a free kick in the 50^th minute but Cox’s free kick was disappointing. Annan continued to push forward and Macbeth in particular was a constant threat with his penetrating runs down the left to the bye line.

The deadlock was broken in the 66^th minute when John Macbeth was upended by Sean Crichton and substitute Lewis Sloan who had only been introduced minutes earlier converted the spot kick to edge Annan in front.

Annan then doubled their lead in the 72^nd minute with an excellent goal. Following on from excellent battling qualities by Cox just inside his own half the Montrose rearguard were split wide open by some neat inter play between Macbeth, Bell and Jardine who’s final ball into the path of Macbeth was neatly tucked away past Andrew McNeil in the Montrose goal.

Montrose never really tested Craig Summersgill in a disapointing second half for the Angus side and their miserable afternoon was completed in the 89^th minute when Chris Heggarty was sent off for a second yellow card.

Annan manager Harry Cairney said he was not surprised that it was not a pretty game. ”like Annan Montrose have a few enthusiastic young players, it was important that we did not give anything away and we defended well when Montrose threatened. It was good run by John which led to the penalty and Lewis stuck the ball away. The second goal was a very good goal and overall I was pleased to get the win. We now need to try and move up the league”.

Steven Tweed the Montrose manager was disappointed, “I could not ask any more from the team they are a young team and they have worked their socks off. We need to build confidence in the team and the only way you do that is to win games. It’s a hard one to take, we conceded honest mistakes and were punished. We have been going round a big bend looking for the first win and we are not playing poorly, we are just not scoring enough goals.