Peterhead manager Jim McInally expressed disappointment following his side’s showing against Montrose at Links Park.
Graham Webster’s 55th minute penalty was the difference in the League One clash, with the result meaning the Blue Toon remain on three points after the same amount of matches.
McInally said: “We didn’t play well and were flattered by a 1-0 defeat. Montrose played well and might have scored more goals.
“We did have a spell of pressure towards the end of the match, but never really looked like scoring”.
His words were endorsed by the Blue Toon’s Hamish Ritchie, who described the team’s display as “a hard day at the office” and he felt “we only played a bit during the last 15 minutes, although Montrose is always a difficult place to get points.”
Certainly Montrose had more possession during the match, although the first half provided little in the way of excitement for a crowd of just over 500 spectators.
On 11 minutes, a shot by Montrose’s Webster was easily saved by Brett Long, while moments later a shot from the Blue Toon’s Ritchie also failed to trouble the Gable Endies’ keeper.
Peterhead enjoyed a brief spell of good possession coming up to the quarter hour mark.
With 16 minutes on the clock ,Webster was brought down on the edge of the visitor’s box, but Lewis Milne hit the resultant free-kick narrowly over.
The Blue Toon had a scoring chance on 29 minutes when Niah Payne shot past after being played in by Ritchie.
After 33 minutes, Craig Johnston broke away for Montrose but his shot went over the bar.
Minutes later, Peterhead’s Russell Mclean headed over the bar from a good position and then Montrose keeper Fleming failed to deal with a free-kick from the right but the ball was eventually cleared.
Montrose looked the better side during the early part of the second half, but shots from Webster and Andrew Steeves all failed to find the mark.
On 49 minutes, Blair Lyons of Montrose shot narrowly past and just moments later Cammy Ballantyne latched onto a cut back from Webster, but hit his effort tamely into Long’s arms.
The Links Parkers finally broke the deadlock on 55 minutes. Webster was running away from the danger area when he was clipped inside the box by defender Andrew McDonald. Webster took the penalty himself and sent keeper Brett Long the wrong way to put his side ahead.
Montrose continued to press and Ballantyne hit the bar on 69 minutes. Moments later, Peterhead’s McLean headed over again, this time from a corner
After 83 minutes, Montrose substitute Christopher Antoniazzi was brought down mid way inside the Peterhead half, but fellow substitute Liam Callaghan hit the post with the free-kick.
Peterhead pushed forward in an attempt to take something from the game, but the closest they came to scoring was a right foot shot from Payne which was pushed round the post by Allan Fleming.
In the final minutes, Montrose took the opportunity to take the ball to the corner flag and simply run down the clock.
