Montrose slipped to a second successive home defeat, this time at the hands of Stirling Albion, who go above the Links Park side and into fifth spot in League Two.
Manager Stewart Petrie said: “That is six goals we have lost in two home games which is not good enough and will need to be addressed.
“We huffed and puffed but there was no real quality there and it was as poor at home as we have been since I came to the club.”
The two home defeats have put the top four beyond Montrose, but the manager insisted a promotion play-off was never spoken about.
“We are just trying to make ourselves safe from the relegation play-off.”
Stirling took the lead on five minutes. A ball from Conor Quigley split the home defence and Darren Smith rounded Allan Fleming to score.
Montrose hit back and on 10 minutes Paul Watson headed wide from a corner.
On 38 minutes a Kerr Hay drive was brilliantly tipped around the post by Chris Smith. From the resultant corner, a Callum MacDonald header was headed off the line by Ross Kavanagh.
Stirling stretched their lead on the hour mark. Connor McLaren went on as a substitute and immediately swung in a corner which Kavanagh headed home.
Stirling were reduced to 10 men on 74 minutes when Liam Caddis collected a second booking for a foul on Hay.
Montrose failed to make their man advantage count and Stirling added a third on 86 minutes. Darren Smith found McLaren and he shot past the unprotected Fleming.
Montrose got a consolation a minute later when Hay found the net with a drive from the edge of the box.