Montrose 0-2 Stranraer

Feb 24 2008 Chris Sanderson At Links Park

STEVE BONAR helped fire the Blues to victory but the hero was left nursing a sore one for his troubles.

Bonar netted a minute before the interval before going off the field on a stretcher after Steve McConalogue sealed the win with his first Stranraer goal.

It took until the 18th minute for the game to burst into life. When it did it was the away side who should have opened the scoring.

Steven Noble got on the end of James McKinstry's corner to fire in a powerful header that crashed off the bar before Ross Gardiner cleared to safety.

Montrose responded two minutes later by creating a chance of their own.

The lively John Baird measured a superb pass into the path of Keith Gibson but the midfielder's low drive was held by Scott Black.

Stranraer continued to struggle and had a let-off on the half hour when midfielder Gregory Tade sliced a Chris Hegarty free-kick against his own bar before the relieved Frenchman mopped up.

Montrose looked the likelier to score and Baird bulldozed his way to the by line to collect Gardiner's through ball.

The pint-sized striker fired over a low cross but fortunately for Stranraer no one was on hand to take advantage.

It was a chance the Gable Endies were left to rue when Bonar popped up to fire the away side ahead a minute before the break.

John Kane pumped a free-kick into the direction of McConalogue and his flick-on was met by the Blues midfielder who hooked the ball past Mark Peat for the opener.

And Bonar almost made it 2-0 in the dying seconds when he headed narrowly wide.

The away side emerged from the dressing room fired up and grabbed a second seven minutes later.

Stranraer left back Alex White hoisted long throw onto McConalogue's chest and the on-loan Cowdenbeath striker took a touch before floating the ball over stranded Peat.

The home side needed an early response and were almost back in the game on the hour.

Stephen Black whipped in a free-kick that Chris McLeod flicked straight into the path of Gardiner who fired an effort off the woodwork

However, before any of the in-rushing Montrose forwards could do anything play was stopped for offside.

The bar came to Stranraer's rescue again in the 70th minute when Steven Doris sent a header crashing against it as the home side's luck looked to be running low.

And it looked like it was going to be one of those days for Jim Weir's side when McLeod teed up Doris for another opening.

But the midfielder's finish lacked any cutting edge and was easily saved by Black.

Roddy Hunter had two great opportunities in the closing minutes but the Montrose man wasted both as the away side held on.

STEVE BONAR couldn't have picked a better time to open his account for the Blues and had the bruises to show for it when he left the field on a stretcher after an accidental clash with Fraser McLaren.

RODDY HUNTER had a shocking day at the office and won't want to remember this game in a hurry.

The toiling Montrose striker missed two golden opportunities to throw the home side a lifeline.