Is the Great Escape Still On?

By bobmcp
April 8 2016

“We are not safe yet so we just have to look after ourselves but I do sympathise with Craig Tully’s plight at East Stirlingshire,” was Montrose manager Paul Hegarty’s characteristically balanced view of the situation at the bottom of League Two.  

Montrose currently sit ten points ahead of bottom placed Shire with just four remaining league games. Paul Hegarty’s Montrose team play title-chasing East Fife in Methil tomorrow and that’s not going to be an easy fixture for the Angus club to secure the points they need. Shire on the other hand are at home to a Queen’s Park side they defeated 3-0 at Hampden as recently as 13 February.

So it’s just possible the gap could be reduced to seven points by 5pm tomorrow but thereafter only an incredible sequence of results will see Montrose replace Shire at the foot of the table and leave the Gable Endies facing a second consecutive pyramid play-off.

This unlikely turnaround not only requires East Stirlingshire to win the other three remaining matches against Annan Athletic and East Fife (both away) plus Elgin City at home but Shire must also rely on Stirling Albion, Arbroath and Berwick Rangers each defeating Montrose.

Shire may yet be reading about more sympathy from Paul Hegarty.