Montrose Roselea make their point against Banchory

After an early morning pitch inspection at Milton Park declaring the pith playable, Roselea travelled to Banchory for this league encounter.

Jordan Reoch and Keiran Thomson were out through injury but otherwise manager Eric Watson had a strong squad to choose from.

Roselea made a bright start and created the opening chance of the game when a corner from Beedie was only half cleared by the home defence and the ball dropped to Baily on the edge of the box but his shot went just over the top. In 11 minutes a free kick from E Watson just inside the Banchory half was somehow missed by everyone in the box and just went inches wide. 5 minutes later a shot come cross from Bailey was headed on by C Watson but just went inches wide. After making a poor start Banchory opened the scoring with their 1st threatening attack in 18 minutes. Berton worked his way down the left flank and sent in a great cross to the back post and Paul Esslemont controlled the ball and smashed the ball into the bottom left corner giving Roselea keeper McCormack no chance. Roselea continued to take the game to Banchory and in 23 minutes Beedie played a long ball down the left which Soutar done well to keep in play, he them played the ball into C Watson who homed in on goal from the left side of the area but his shot from 8 yards was brilliantly saved by Salmond in the home goal. The visitors were back on level terms in 32 minutes when Greig swung in a cross from the right and the referee adjudged that Garnham had been impeded when trying to connect with a header so pointed to the spot. C Watson stroked the penalty towards the bottom left corner but Salmond got a hand to keep it out before Murray Soutar reacted quickest to knock the rebound into the net. A few minutes later E Watson sent a long ball over the top of the home defence which Greig controlled on the right edge of the box and sent a shot goalward that Salmond did well to block. Just before the break Banchory almost doubled their lead when a long clearance eluded the Roselea defence and landed with Esslemont who ran 20 yards into the box but his shot just went inches wide

HALF TIME 1-1

10 Minutes into the 2nd half, Taylor made a great run down the left and sent a cross into the back post but Greig’s header just went wide from 6 yards. Minutes later a corner from Beedie was headed on by Soutar to E Watson but his spectacular overhead kick went just over the top. In 64 minutes the Roselea defence were caught out again with a long clearance that fell to Esslemont who moved forward and drilled a shot from 20 yards that was brilliantly saved by McCormack as far as Close who knocked the ball into the nut but was flagged offside by the linesman. The visitors went close a minute later when a long throw into the box from McDonald on the right was controlled by C Watson who turned his marker and shot low towards goal but his shot was well saved by Salmond. Both sides then had a chance from free kicks just outside the box but Soutar’s effort from Roselea and Stewart’s effort from Banchory both went sailing over the top. Roselea went close with 15 minutes left when Beedie sent a free kick into the box which was met by Soutar but his header from 8 yards was well saved by Salmond. With time running out the last chance of the game fell to the home side when after a bit of goalmouth ping pong the ball fell to Berton who shot across goal and Esslemont just failed to get a touch on it at the far post’ Roselea brought on Jamieson for the injured McDonald as the game moved into added time.

A share of the spoils was probably the right result at the end of the day with both sides battling hard for the entire 90 minutes. Roselea now returm to cup action against Hermes on Friday night.