Lee Currie, scorer of Berwick’s first goal at Links Park ( Photo courtesy of Kevin McCormick )
SPFL 2, Saturday, March 21st, 2015 MONTROSE 0 BERWICK RANGERS 2
Around thirty Berwick fans were at Links Park to encourage their team in this vital bottom of the table clash staged in bright spring sunshine. Without their presence, there would have been a sub 300 crowd though the official attendance figure of 320 seemed on the generous side.
As so often this season, Berwick dominated the first half and again had nothing to show for it but at least players were prepared to have a crack at goal even if most of their efforts lacked the power to trouble keeper Stuart McKenzie. He was forced into one spectacular stop from Paul Willis and this, coupled with another good second half save, was enough for him to win the home man of the match award.
The second half continued in similar fashion – Berwick looking the team more likely to score. The breakthrough finally came 17 minutes from time. Blair Henderson might have completed his run down the middle with a goal but he didn’t get the chance. Terry Masson was shown a straight red card for bringing him down a few yards outside the box. The visiting supporters then celebrated after witnessing a rarity this season, a Lee Currie free kick special around the wall and into the net.
The lead was doubled barely a minute later. Deep inside the Montrose penalty area, newcomer Kyle Wilkie shrugged off close marking to force the ball to Henderson to net with a simple tap in. Wilkie, wearing number eleven, should have been pleased with a more than satisfactory debut and the fact that several times he was the victim of shirt pulling was proof of how Montrose found him troublesome. It happened often enough for one frustrated home fan on one occasion to shout out rather bizarrely that the Berwick man was guilty of pulling his own shirt!
Jonny Fairbairn was solid at the back and Devon Jacobs worked flat out to help produce a result which lifted Berwick one place up the table on goal difference over Clyde who lost at home to Elgin City.
**Edinburgh City are the new Lowland League champions which means they will meet their Highland League counterparts to decide which will come up against the club finishing bottom of SPFL 2 in a play off for a place in next season’s SPFL.
