BY GARY LANGLEY

Division Two Play-Off Semi Final second Leg

Stranraer 3 Montrose 0


Montrose dominated the early play and could have gone ahead after just three minutes when a corner from Jay Stein found John Baird in the box but his header went just wide. Minutes later a Chris McLeod header went wide after he was allowed acres of space to get the effort in. Stranraer altered their shape slightly as Alex White was pulled deeper and they were able to repel the Montrose sorties forward as Jay Stein and John Baird both had to resort to shooting from distance to record efforts on goal. Stranraer, like in the previous leg were struggling to get out of the blocks in the first period and did not have any real significant effort on goal apart from blocked shots and half chances.
In the second half the game really kicked into life – from a Stranraer perspective anyhow! On 48 minutes The blues surged forwards and worked the ball into the box where the ball fell to Danny Mitchell who's crisp shot went just over the bar. Despite Stranraer being on top of the game, Montrose did carry a threat and nearly took the lead shortly after when Gardiner's 35yard free kick went just over the bar. On 62 minutes John Baird should have done better for the visitors when he was allowed a close range header but Scott Black showed his class to deny the much sought after striker with a fine save.
It was then that Stranraer moved into gear when on 68 minutes Andy Gibson pressed forwards shaking off the close attentions of Doris and Davidson to put in a tidy cross for the unmarked Greg Tade to stoop low to head Stranraer into the lead. Ten minutes later the lead was doubled as Mullen received the ball on the edge of the box, he then out-paced the attentions of Gardiner and struck a sweet shot into the left hand corner and at this point you could see the Montrose players heads drop. Andy Gibson had been instrumental in all of the Blues attacking play in the second half and it was just and fair that he got the easiest opportunity of the day when Montrose conceded a penalty on the stroke of full time when James Creaney was hacked down in the box for an undisputable penalty, Gibson strode forwards and struck it high and neat to his left, three nil and Stranraer comfortably into the final after a well worked two legged semi where they will face Arbroath who saw off Cowdenbeath in a dramatic period of extra time, a result which relegated the Fifers.
Statto's will point out that Stranraer's form against Arbroath this season has been disappointing with three draws and one defeat and both sides go into the games with a good run of form so it'sabout right that the bookies cannot separate the teams with a sheet of paper at the moment.
Stranraer: Black, McKinstry, Creaney, Kane, Noble, Mitchell (Bonar 83), Gibson, White, Mullen (Cashmore 86), McConalogue (Cochrane 90), Tade.
Subs Not Used: McLaughlin, Alan Ferguson.
Booked: Mitchell, Tade.
Goals: Tade 68, Mullen 79, Gibson 88 pen.
Montrose: Peat, Buchin, Gardiner (Hunter 81), McLeod, Cumming, Gibson, Doris, Davidson, Wood (Stewart 71), Baird, Stein (Black 70).
Subs Not Used: Heggerty, McKenzie.
Booked: Davidson, Baird, McLeod.
Att: 451.
Ref: C Richmond