Forfar Athletic 2 Montrose 0

Forfar Athletic won their first game in seven on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Montrose at a sunny Station Park.

Goals late on in either half from Mark Docherty and Jamie Bain sealed the win for the Loons with Montrose failing to find a way past Marc McCallum.

Barry Sellars was the main man in the dugout after a car crash earlier in the week saw Jim Weir unable to attend, the coach also involved, while they were also missing Dale Hilson.

Montrose started off the better side with Blair Lyons testing McCallum early on but failed to beat him.

In the twentieth minute Ross Forbes couldn’t find the target while Andy Jackson saw his effort deflected wide shortly after.

Just after the half hour mark Martin Rennie was denied by McCallum but the game was delayed for a five minute period when Jackson suffered a head knock and was stretchered off.

Thankfully, the former Brechin man was released from hospital on Saturday night and his condition will be monitored closely.

With the first half having such a large period of additional time, the Loons were able to build momentum as Forbes was denied twice but Mark Docherty went one better from Jordan Kirkpatrick’s corner in the fifth minute as he lashed home.

The side looked much better in the second half and almost doubled their advantage in the 56th minute; summer signings Forbes and Kirkpatrick combining as the former sent a cross in for the latter to meet but his volley was pushed wide by Lennox.

Just over sixty seconds later the Loons felt they should have had a penalty as Forbes was pulled back but the referee felt the foul started on the edge of the box and awarded a free kick.

The game stumbled into the final stages of the half with nothing to write home about until the 88th minute; subs Connor Coupe and Murray Mackintosh involved as the former gave the ball to the latter and he sprayed a fantastic through ball to Jamie Bain and he finished a one on one with Lennox to seal the three points for Forfar.

Montrose’s best chance of the game fell to Ross Campbell in injury time as he rattled the underside of the crossbar but he could only watch as it bounced down and away from goal.

The Loons move up to fourth in the league ahead of next week’s clash at home to Raith Rovers who have a number of familiar faces in the shape of Brad Spencer, Lewis Allan and John Baird.

Match report by Lee Smith