Injury time agony for Gowfers

A goal three minutes into stoppage time sent Carnoustie Panmure crashing out of the GA Engineering Inter-Region Cup at the preliminary round stage on Saturday afternoon.

After twice coming from behind, the Gowfers were on the verge of taking hosts Montrose Roselea to a penalty shoot-out, but then saw their cup hopes dashed by the Broomfield Park men's sensational last-gasp winner.

Carnoustie travelled to Montrose with a side which showed a number of changes from that beaten by Bonnyrigg Rose the previous week.

Wayne Morrison had recovered from his long-term injury and made a welcome return to the starting line-up. Also on from the start were Robert Hendry and Daryn Smith, while Garry Buick and Kevin Cumming dropped to the bench where they were joined by Ralph Brand, Garry Warren and Aaron Conway.

Within seconds of kicking-off, Montrose conceded a free kick just inside the Carnoustie half. Craig launched the ball deep into the home box, but 'keeper McLeod managed to clutch it safely, under pressure from Collier.

In three minutes, Watson was spoken to by the referee after a bad foul on Hendry, who had to leave the field for treatment and was still limping when he resumed a couple of minutes later.

Watson found himself in further trouble with the referee in six minutes and this time he was shown the yellow card for dissent.

The towsy nature of the early play meant there was little in the way of goalmouth action. In fact, the busiest man on the park was proving to be the referee, who next issued a telling off to Abbot for a foul on Watson in 10 minutes.

Carnoustie came close to opening the scoring when good play by Hendry and Collier set up a chance for Smith, whose fierce drive from the edge of the box was well held by McLeod at his right-hand post.

At the other end, Page was fouled by G. Miller just outside the Gowfers' box, but McKellar's free kick was blocked away by the defensive wall.

Montrose then won a corner on the right off Graham. Watson got on the end of Page's cross, but put his header high over the bar.

Moments later, the home side squandered another great chance to take the lead. A long ball forward put Page through on goal, but confronted by the out-rushing Butter, he sclaffed his shot wide of the post.

Back came Carnoustie and a fine drive by Smith was well held by McLeod with the ball seemingly destined for the 'keeper's top left-hand corner.

In 38 minutes, Hall was booked for a foul on Anderson.

Abbot almost broke the deadlock when he cut in from the right, but his left-foot shot whizzed narrowly past McLeod's left-hand post.

As Montrose surged forward in response, a deep cross from the left by Longmuir was headed back across goal by Watson, but found no-takers and the ball was held easily by Butter.

With the first half drawing to a close, a foul by M. Miller on Collier gave Carnoustie a free kick 30 yards out. Smith took the kick and picked out the unmarked Collier, whose header was just too high and went narrowly over the top.

Hendry was then unlucky to have a couple of shots blocked at the edge of the box. Eventually, the ball was cleared away upfield and the game remained goal-less at the interval.

Half-time: Montrose Roselea 0, Carnoustie Panmure 0.

Early in the second half, a Longmuir free kick from the halfway line was headed on by Watson, but Butter gathered the ball safely ahead of the in-rushing Montrose forwards.

In 49 minutes, Page was booked for dissent.

At this stage, Montrose were doing most of the pressing, but in a rare Carnoustie attack, a deep cross from Abbot on the right was met by Hendry, who fired over the bar from 12 yards.

Back at the other end, Anderson almost caught the Gowfers napping with a snap shot from the right-hand corner of the box, but Butter held it safely.

After that slight scare, Carnoustie began to come back into the game a bit more and were gifted a scoring opportunity when Collier was fouled by Whyte just outside the home box. Craig curled the free kick round the defensive wall only to see McLeod pull off a fine save at his left-hand post.

Roselea's third booking of the match was earned by Anderson in 56 minutes, again for dissent.

A minute later, Hendry, who was still feeling the effects of his earlier knock, went off and was replaced by Brand.

The deadlock was finally broken by Montrose in 61 minutes, McKellor put substitute Clayton clear on the right and from the latter's low driven cross, SIMPSON flicked the ball home from six yards, giving Butter no chance.

The home side's lead was short-lived, however, as within a minute the Gowfers were back on level terms.

COLLIER rounded-off a neat one-two with Brand on the edge of the box by gliding the ball over McLeod's head into the far corner of the net for the equaliser.

The ding-dong nature of the tie continued when Montrose regained the lead in 68 minutes. Morrison put the Gowfers under pressure by conceding a foul in midfield and although Graham attempted to hack the free kick away from inside the box, MCKELLAR was on hand to drive the loose ball low into the net through a ruck of players.

Having got back in front, Montrose now went in search of further goals and a Page corner from the right was held confidently by Butter, with Simpson ready to pounce on any slip by the 'keeper.

In 72 minutes, Crawford was booked for dissent.

Three minutes later, the referee's book was out again. This time the player being shown the yellow card was Collier for persistent fouling.

Conway, who had replaced Smith in 74 minutes, tried his luck for Carnoustie with a low drive, but McLeod got down well to save at the base of his right-hand post.

In 80 minutes, Carnoustie got back on level terms for the second time in the match. Brand was fouled by M. Miller just outside the box and from the resultant free kick CRAIG fired the ball through the defensive wall, beating McLeod low to his bottom left-hand corner.

As both sides now went in search of a winner, Montrose almost regained the lead courtesy of a Page long-range effort, which skimmed the outside of Butter's right-hand post.

Carnoustie were dealt a blow in 83 minutes when Hall picked up his second yellow card of the match and was duly ordered off, reducing the Gowfers to 10 men.

Collier had a chance to seal things for Carnoustie when he got on the end of a Conway cross, but put his header straight to McLeod when he should have done better.

With both sides squandering further chances, the tie seemed destined for a penalty shoot-out, but Montrose had other ideas.

Three minutes into stoppage time, a McKellar cross from the right into the six yard box fell nicely for substitute ALLAN, who fired home from six yards, leaving the devastated Gowfers no way back.

Line-Ups:

Montrose Roselea : McLeod, Anderson, Whyte (Allan 87), Masson, M. Miller, Watson (Clayton 60), McKellar, Christie (Crawford 52), Simpson, Page, Longmuir. Substitutes, not used - Mustard, Massie (gk).

Carnoustie Panmure : Butter, Narey (Cumming 89), Craig, G. Miller, Graham, Morrison, Abbot, Hall, Collier, Hendry (Brand 57), Smith (Conway 74). Substitutes, not used - Buick, Warren.

Referee, A. Lovie, Aberdeen.