Berwick Rangers 3, Montrose 2
Dec 29 2008 The Journal
BERWICK Rangers boss Jimmy Crease rated the victory over Montrose as one of the finest fightbacks he has seen.
And after treating every one of his players as they left the pitch to a standing ovation he said: “They were magnificent.”
Berwick, who have won their last four in a row under the guidance of Crease, looked beaten when they went in at the break two down. They then suffered another blow when assistant manager Ian Little was shown a straight red immediately after the interval for a challenge on Hugh Davidson.
“There were a few harsh words in the dressing room at half-time because it seemed as though the bubble was about to burst and I didn’t want that to happen at home in front of a pretty decent crowd,” said Crease.
“The players have received all the plaudits in the past three weeks and rightly so but I made it clear I wanted them to go out and show what they were made of.”
Montrose led after 13 minutes when Ryan McGurk got a hand to a 25-yard strike from Stephen Black but was unable to keep the ball out.
Two minutes before the break Hugh Davidson doubled the tally after the keeper had done well to palm away from Roddy Hunter.
But after the dismissal of Little, Rangers regrouped and got the breakthrough on 66 minutes when Greg Kelly, who had been under pressure throughout from David Greenhill’s in-swingers, dropped a corner and Stuart Callaghan whipped the ball home.
Four minutes later Chris McMenamin – in his final game on loan from Airdrie – grabbed the equaliser with his third goal in three games with a fine shot from the angle of the six-yard box.
Then with only four minutes remaining, Darren Gribben, who looked dead on his feet, summoned the energy to latch on to a fluffed clearance and race into the box to sweep home the winner and complete a grandstand finish.
BERWICK RANGERS: McGurk, Guy, Dillon, Ewart, Horn, Callaghan, McMenamin, Fraser (Gary Greenhill 45), Gribben (Chris Anderson 90), Little, David Greenhill (Bonar 89). Subs (not used): McMahon, Lunn.
Sent Off: Little (47).
Booked: Gary Greenhill, Lunn.
Goals: Callaghan 66, McMenamin 70, Gribben 86.
MONTROSE: Kelly, Jamie Buchan, McCay (McLaughlan 46), Davidson, Crighton, McLeod, Hegarty (Gray 89), Gibson, Hunter, Black, Stewart (Smith 71). Subs (not used): Winton, Stark.
Booked: McLeod, McLaughlan.
Goals: Black 13, Davidson 43.
Attendance: 510.
Referee: B Madden.
