There was cause for celebration at Links Park after Montrose moved off the bottom of the table for the first time this season by battling for a point against promotion contenders Berwick Rangers.
But the party was spoiled by a show of indiscipline which reduced the Angus side to nine men in the closing stages, as result of red cards for two of the club’s most experienced players.
Striker John Gemmell was given his marching orders on 77 minutes after receiving two yellow cards for dissent.
Nine minutes later, fellow hitman Paul Tosh committed the same offence and was also given a second booking.
The visitors were unable to take advantage as the Montrose defence refused to crumble, but that did nothing to appease Montrose assistant manager Jim Moffat.
He said, “It’s terrific to be off the bottom for the first time this season. Taking the point feels like a victory, but it shouldn’t.
“When you are drawing in a game against a team fighting for a place in the play-offs you shouldn’t be losing two men.Poor discipline”That was poor discipline from two of our most experienced players who were well aware of the position. That will now leave us at least four players short for our midweek game against Annan.”
The home side opened the scoring in 16 minutes after a brilliant solo run by Daryl Nicol, who tore apart the Berwick defence before coolly slotting home.
Six minutes later, Nicol collected a perfect cross from Tosh but scraped the ball wide.
Berwick missed a chance on 29 minutes but Paul Currie couldn’t get past the Montrose keeper Andrew McNeil. But they levelled at the break when David Greenhill scored from the edge of the box.
A goal by Montrose player-manager Steven Tweed was chalked off for pushing. At the other end it was tit-for-tat when Alan Brazil had the ball in the net but fell foul of the offside rule.
“Berwick put us under pressure in the second half,” added Moffat. “We had to defend well even with nine men. We’ve played the second, third and fourth-top sides in the division recently and taken seven points from nine. Moving up from bottom gives our lads a huge psychological lift.”