Dunfermline 5 - 3 Montrose: Pars cruise through despite late wobble

Published on Tuesday 18 January 2011 17:16

Montrose proved the theory that the lower-league team gets just one shot at producing a Scottish Cup upset as Dunfermline booked a last-16 trip to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen.

The Gable Endies had earned a replay after a late strike in a 2-2 draw at Links Park ten days previously, but this match was finished long before the final whistle brought to an end a frantic finale that belied what had gone before. The Third Division side, who lost inspirational player-manager Steven Tweed to an early injury, were left with cliched plaudits of a plucky performance as they were swept aside professionally by their First Division hosts.

Andy Kirk got the opener after ten minutes as he headed in Willie Gibson's cross from six yards out. Steven McDougall added a second six minutes from the interval, although it appeared Gibson's shot had bounced down off the crossbar and over the line before McDougall bundled in the rebound.

Montrose, who had been under the cosh for the majority of the first half, broke from their shackles to spark hopes of a comeback two minutes after the break. Ross McCord's shot was parried by Chris Smith but the Fifers' covering defender, Calum Woods, only succeeded in knocking into his own net. The fightback was all too brief for the Third Division outfit, however, as Dunfermline effectively sealed their place in the next round with a two-goal salvo from David Graham.

First, the winger produced a sublime chip from an acute angle and then he calmly slotted through a forest of legs after Austin McCann's cutback had fallen kindly for him. Montrose were ragged by now and Gibson made it five with a penalty after Graham was fouled by Stephen McNally. Paul Tosh reduced the deficit as he headed in Chris Hegarty's sliced shot 19 minutes from time. The veteran marksman then added a third for Montrose from the spot as Smith was sent off for bringing down substitute Martin Boyle, but the visitors could not put any pressure on Fifers skipper McCann after he assumed goalkeeping duties for the final few minutes.

Dunfermline: Chris Smith, Woods, McGregor, Keddie, McCann, Gibson (Willis 63), Mason (Phinn 56), Thomson, David Graham, McDougall, Kirk (Clarke 63). Subs Not Used: Allison, Dowie.

Montrose: Wood, McNalley, Cambell, Tweed (Crighton 16), Pope, McCord (Hegarty 69), Masson, Cameron, Sinclair, Tosh, Nicky Smith (Boyle 59). Subs Not Used: Capstick, Thompson.

Referee: A Crawford. Att: 1,541