MX23RW : Friday, March 29 11:52:34| >> :600:6203978:6203978:
[monks data]
Montrose
Scottish Third Division
Mar 30, 2013 at 12pm UK
 
Rangers logo

0-0

FT

Live Commentary: Montrose 0-0 Rangers - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live Scottish Third Division action from Links Park as Rangers travel to Montrose.
2

Rangers travelled to Links Park to take on Montrose in the early kickoff today with the prospect of winning the Scottish Third Division title.

A win for the visitors, and a slip up from Queens Park later this afternoon would see the Gers wrap up the championship early.

Montrose occupy third place in the table but sit 26 points behind the league leaders.

However, Rangers wait to be crowned champions goes on after they were held by Montrose.

Find out how it all unfolded with our live commentary below.


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good morning and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Scottish Third Division action, as Rangers travel to Montrose.

Rangers, who already have one hand on the title, can get a soft grip with the second hand should they emerge victorious today at Links Park.

The Gers are 21 points ahead of nearest rivals Queens Park, albeit having played two games more. However, their superior goal difference of 51, compared with the Spiders' 13, practically gives them an extra point themselves.

Rangers could have won the title last weekend, but could only manage a goalless draw with Stirling Albion at Ibrox.

But frankly, it's just a matter of time until the Gers secure the championship, and time may just be up as far as the title race goes today.

Right, who is ready for some team news?

We'll start with the home team.

MONTROSE XI: Gibson, McNally, Watson, Campbell, Trialist, Gray, Masson, Winter, Boyle, Wood, Johnston

Struggling to find news on the Montrose substitutes, so I'll move on to the Rangers squad for today.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

RANGERS XI: Alexander; Hegarty, McCulloch, Cribari, Wallace; Faure; Crawford, Black, Hutton, Templeton; Hemmings

And on the bench for the Gers...

RANGERS BENCH: Smith, Argyriou, Naismith, McKay, Aird

So Ally McCoist still has a big injury list to deal with, and is still without the suspended Francisco Sandaza after the recent scandal surrounding him.

Interestingly enough, Montrose actually come into this match in the better form. They have taken 12 points from their last six games; including four wins and two defeats. While three wins, two draws and a defeat for the visitors has earned them 11 points over the same time scale.

You'll have noticed that Montrose are fielding a trialist today.

We believe the trialist to be Cammy MacDonald. The 23-year-old defender, formerly of Livingston and Airdrie, has played over 200 first-team games after making his debut as a 17-year-old at Almondvale. He reportedly left Airdrie under a bit of a cloud after an argument with Jimmy Boyle and will be looking to take his chance this afternoon.

The teams are in the tunnel and ready to go.

These two sides hadn't met for 36 years before September, and they have now met a whole host of times since then.

Out they come. Montrose are wearing blue shirts, white and blue socks.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

Rangers are sporting their white shirts, blue shorts and red socks.

It will be Rangers to kick off.

And we're off!

Rangers are playing from right to left, Montrose the opposite.

Hemmings up front on his own for Rangers, Faure playing as the spare man in front of defence. A very defensive Rangers side.

To epitomise that, Lee McCulloch, who is usually Rangers' striker, plays as a centre-back today.

Early sniff at goal for Rangers, the ball finds its way out to Lee Wallace on the left, who curls a ball into the box towards Hemmings, but MacDonald can clear for a corner.

CHANCE! Montrose survive as the Rangers corner leads to a goalmouth scramble. Gibson, the goalkeeper, rises among a pile of bodies to punch the ball away, but it only falls to Crawford on the right of the box. His shot is blocked on the edge of the six-yard box. McCulloch follows that up with a sidefoot from the D, but Montrose hang on and scramble it away.

Rangers are on top in these early stages.

CHANCE! Montrose have a go themselves. Martin Boyle is played down the middle and is up against McCulloch. The striker lifts it over the head of the defender and runs on to it. Alexander in goal then closes down the angle and blocks the lob which was from an acute angle. The resulting corner is cleared by the visitors.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

Hemmings is going to have a tricky task on his hands today. He is up front for the away side by himself, against a pacey defence.

CHANCE! David Templeton, back in the side today after a recent absence, has a go at goal from range. From about 30 yards out on the right, he blasts an effort. Gibson does well to get his body behind it to take the hit, and MacDonald clears the danger.

So we've nearly had a quarter of an hour of action in this match, and it is Rangers who have enjoyed much of the possession.

Montrose think they have a free kick in a good area after Garry Wood was bundled over by Lee Wallace. However, the striker was in an offside position, so the Gers are given the decision.

CHANCE! Lovely individual play from Templeton. He races down the left and then Cruyff turns into the penalty area before skipping past another challenge and then opts to curl the ball towards the top corner. His shot is blocked and goes behind for a corner. Nice stuff from Templeton though.

CHANCE! I thought Rangers had taken the lead here. Lovely stuff against from Templeton as he slides in the overlapping Lee Wallace. The left-back is through on goal and gets his shot away, but it takes a deflection and goes behind for a corner.

CHANCE! Ian Black dips a shot over following the corner being cleared to him on the edge of the box.

Rangers look very strong down the left, Wallace and Templeton could cause Montrose some harm today.

Rangers have been on top in the last few minutes. They have a free kick 30 yards out, a cross surely will be the outcome.

Hutton drove the free kick but it was blocked and cleared.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

CHANCE! Montrose break, and they break well. Masson runs across the Rangers box from the right, dodging several challenges in the process, before laying off Watson. He hammers a shot which looks goalbound, but Rangers can throw bodies in front and concede the corner.

YELLOW CARD The trialist Cammy MacDonald is booked for bring down Templeton at full speed. I think that's what they call a 'professional foul'. Chance for Rangers.

CHANCE! Rangers had three men around the ball for the kick which is about 25 yards out and dead central. McCulloch is the chosen one for the free kick, but his clean strike was always drifting wide of the right-hand side of the post.

CHANCE! End-to-end stuff at the moment. Montrose go on the attack as Watson whips in a ball from the left, Rangers clear not once but twice, before the ball falls to Wood. He drives it low and goalbound from the centre of the half and it takes a deflection on the way through, which forces Alexander to pull off a nice save, and he even manages to hold it.

Good game this so far.

Ian Black at the edge of the box with a neat touch, laying it off for Templeton, who lashed a shot with his left over the bar.

CHANCE! Montrose have a free kick on the left, that Watson swings into the box. Alan Campbell is allowed a free header, but the centre-back's effort is just wide of the top corner.

Nice play from Templeton again. His trickery wins a corner.

The game has gone a bit quiet in the last few minutes.

CHANCE! Great chance. Steven McNally goes down the right and puts in a wonderful cross into the six-yard box. The ball is begging to be headed into the back of the net, but Martin Boyle is just inches away from doing that. Fabolous play from McNally. Still goalless.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

Poor cross by Hegarty. He scooped that up and into the box but it was ridiculously overhit. Hemmings down and getting treatment after taking a bang on the thigh. Looked like a sore one but he seems okay to continue.

Looks as if this is going to be goalless at half time.

There will be one minute of added time.

HALF TIME: Montrose 0-0 Rangers

So it's goalless at the break and it's been a really good half. Rangers a lot better than last week, but Montrose are certainly giving them a run for their money.

Rangers have had more possession, but both sides have had chances.

The teams are back out at a sunny Links Park. The hosts to kick off...

Back underway...

Montrose have an early penalty shout waved away after Boyle went down just inside the box.

CHANCE! Montrose have the first chance of the half, as David Gray hits an excellent strike from the edge of the box. But the shot dips just over the bar.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

CHANCE! Excellent play from Rangers. Ian Black spreads it wide to Wallace who puts a great cross into the box. It falls to Hemmings who has a good effort put behind by Gibson. The corner is held as well by the keeper from a header. Good spell from the Gers.

Rangers are in control at the moment, and Hemmings is playing well. He busts a gut to get down the right and puts in a great cross, but not one Rangers player makes an attempt to get into the box. Hemmings, who is upfront by himself, is really up against it.

Barrie McKay is readying himself to come on. The game has dyed down a bit in the last few minutes. But Rangers now have a free kick about 25 yards out, central. Dangerous situation this.

CHANCE! Templeton has a go at it and tries to put a bit of swerve on it. However, it's harmlessly wide for a goal kick.

RANGERS SUBSTITUTION: Crawford, who has been pretty quiet, has made way for the exciting Barrie McKay.

The change looks as if McCoist has moved Templeton just behind Hemmings upfront, with McKay moving to the left.

CHANCE! Gibson pulls off another good save, after Wallace's shot was deflected towards his near post.

MONTROSE SUBSTITUTION: David Gray is off, Lloyd Young coming onto the field.

CHANCE! The ball is in the back of the net but it is ruled out for a dubious foul on the keeper. Rangers are very lucky here, not a long seems to be wrong with that. The ball is put into the box and bobbles about before Masson meets the ball on the volley, which is well saved. From their Garry Wood manages to turn Alexander and put the ball in the back of the net. The goal is ruled out however. Huge let off for the Gers.

Montrose looking the more likely side at the moment to go in front. They have momentum at the moment.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

RANGERS SUBSTITUTION: Kane Hemmings is brought off, and Kal Naismith is on.

Things are a bit scrappy at the moment. A fair few fouls are being dished out.

It's quiet at the moment. The game, at this rate, is trickling out for a goalless draw.

CHANCE! Montrose have a free kick about 30 yards out on the left. Jamie Winter is laid off, and he smashes the ball low and with authority. Alexander is equal to it though, and the ball goes out for a corner.

Alexander comes and catches the resulting corner with ease.

Montrose look as if they are going to try and go for the win. Certainly not shying out of a tackle either.

YELLOW CARD Scott Johnstone picks up a silly yellow card for kicking the ball away.

MONTROSE SUBSTITUTION: Ricky McIntosh has come on for the hosts. Jamie Winter has come off.

Nice play from the home side as Boyle bursts forward and wins a corner. Montrose have really upped their game this half, and you couldn't say that they wouldn't deserve it if they found a winner.

As the play is held up for treatment, I should mention that David Templeton was booked for a late challenge a few minutes ago. He followed through when trying to get his shot away.

*Live Text Commentary Sponsored by Bet365* Get up to £200 in free bets for all football fixtures this Easter weekend.

MONTROSE SUBSTITUTION: Leighton McIntosh comes on for the trialist, Callum MacDonald.

We have four minutes of added time.

YELLOW CARD Emeilson Cribari is booked for a high foot on the edge of his own box. Silly foul. Great chance for Montrose.

CHANCE! Watson tries to curl the ball into the bottom corner, it lacks power though, and Alexander can comfortably hold onto it.

FULL TIME: Montrose 0-0 Rangers

So, a second goalless draw on the spin for Rangers, and the wait goes on in their pursuit of being crowned champions.

They are creeping over the line, but Montrose did not deserve to lose today.

However, should Queens Park lose this afternoon, then Rangers will win the title. ALthough, a win for the former could set up their clash with Rangers nicely for next weekend.

That's all from me on the football front today. Hope you enjoyed the coverage. Enjoy the rest of your day. See you again soon.

ID:76819: cacheID:76819:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:30914:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Ally McCoist
Read Next:
McCoist delighted with second-half display
>
Read more about Montrose Rangers Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1FalkirkFalkirk30246075195678
2Hamilton AcademicalHamilton30187563234061
3Alloa AthleticAlloa30145114948147
4Montrose30137105145646
5Cove Rangers30127114646043
6Kelty Hearts3097143953-1434
7Stirling AlbionStirling3097143246-1434
8Queen of the SouthQotS3096153948-933
9Annan AthleticAnnan3079144357-1430
10Edinburgh CityEdinburgh3025233385-525


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!