Montrose 0-1 East Fife

Jan 13 2008

EAST FIFE opened up a massive 16-point lead at the top and boss Dave Baikie admitted promotion and the league title are now almost in the bag.

Jonathan Smart grabbed the winner in the top-of-the-table clash and Baikie said: "We haven't won the league yet but we've taken a huge step towards doing so.

"Any team who wants to catch us will now need to win six more games than us in the rest of the season - and that'll be very difficult to do.

"The pitch was near to being unplayable but we fully deserved our victory."

The Fifers went close after only 30 seconds when a dipping volley from Bobby Linn struck the bar.

But they took the lead in the 11th minute when an overhead kick from Lloyd Young was pushed for a corner by Mark Peat.

Young took the corner and Smart headed home.

East Fife kept up the pressure and in 38 minutes Young forced another save from Peat.

Montrose improved in the second half and went close in 73 minutes when defender Dougie Cameron cleared off the line. Then a Stephen Black shot hit the bar.

Montrose manager Jim Weir said: "We lost a soft goal and were then chasing the game. But I feel we should have had a penalty."