Montrose manager Stewart Petrie has told his players to make the most of their unexpected promotion chance, starting against Peterhead at Links Park tonight.
Five wins and only one defeat in their last eight matches transformed a season that was looking like mid-table safety at best into a hugely successful one.
The “bonus” of the play-offs may not have been one many would have predicted but now that they are in them, Petrie wants his team to give promotion a real go.
He said: “The objective when I came in as manager back in December was to avoid finishing bottom and we have done that and a good bit more.
“This is a real bonus for everyone connected with the club and having got to the play-offs we need to make the most of them.
“We are facing a team with quality all the way through their ranks.
“They have had a disappointing season however they will have taken a lift from winning at the weekend and avoiding automatic relegation.
“However we are not just in the tie to make up the numbers.
“We are at home and will look to use that advantage to set us up nicely for the second leg up at Peterhead at the weekend.”
Blue Toon manager Jim McInally has done extensive homework on their Angus opponents.
He explained: “I have ensured that everyone is up to speed with Montrose.
“I know some of their players, like Chris Templeman who played for me at Morton a decade ago.
“He was a threat to opposing teams then and he is still a threat now.
“I have also looked into the attributes of the ones I don’t know and also into how Montrose play as a team.”
McInally added: “We go into the game in good heart and whilst, there was a lot of excitement in the dressing room at the weekend, there were no celebrations as there is still a lot of work to do.”
The Gable Endies are without the injured trio of Callum Macdonald, Michael Bolochoweckyj and Chris Hegarty with the Blue Toon set to recall Liam Gordon.
