Montrose rode their luck to secure a 1-0 win over Queen’s Park back in October and they did so again to come away with a point on Saturday.
The Gable Endies came under great pressure early on from their hosts which included two efforts against the woodwork and a missed penalty. However, they came through that unscathed and led at the break from a Gary Fraser goal.
Queen’s levelled just after half-time but Paul Hegarty’s side held out for a point despite playing more than half-an- hour with only 10 men after Terry Masson had been red carded.
Hegarty said: “It was a great point but Lady Luck was with us. I cannot deny that and I am sure that their manager Gus MacPherson is really disappointed.
“It was a good save at the penalty and when their player sent the rebound wide I began to think we could get something.
“We scored with our first attack out of nothing but I knew we would be under pressure in the second half.
“That is what happened and it ended up a bit like the Alamo after we lost a goal. But to be fair to the guys their endeavour and attitude earned us a fantastic point.”
The pitch at the national stadium showed the effects of the snow that engulfed parts of Scotland at the weekend, but it did not affect the hosts.
John Carter sent a header against the bar on four minutes and it looked like their early pressure would be rewarded when the returning Andrew Steeves hauled David Galt to the ground to give away a penalty.
But Jordan Millar pushed away Paul Woods’ effort before Carter fired the rebound well wide.
Woods cracked an effort against the bar before Montrose surprised everyone by scoring three minutes from the break when a Greg Pascazio free-kick was not cleared and Fraser’s 18-yard drive took a deflection before finding the net.
Referee Kevin Graham inspected the pitch during the interval before agreeing to let the game continue and Queen’s Park drew level on 51 minutes when Gavin Mitchell crossed from the right and Carter flicked home from six yards.
The game looked to be slipping away from Hegarty’s side and that feeling grew four minutes later when Masson was dismissed for a second overly-robust sliding challenge of the afternoon.
Millar shone as he kept out an effort from Galt with the hosts’ Scott Gibson missing two great chances to win the game in the dying minutes when he failed to net from four yards and then sent a header against the bar.
Hegarty added: “We won the last game here in similar circumstances but we are delighted with the point this time.
“The conditions were not great but credit to the officials for getting the game played.”
MacPherson said: “It is not complicated if you do not take your chances then you do not win games.”
Arbroath’s trip to face Berwick Rangers was called off on Saturday morning due to a frozen pitch.