By JARROD POTTER
BRINGING its determination up from Division 2, Montrose rallied to knock off Noble Park in a 21-point come-from-behind victory.
Playing its first match in the Eastern Football League’s Division 1 competition since 1995, Montrose stormed back into the clash approaching half time before turning on the scramjets in the third term.
The Demons went monstrously well in front of goals in the third term as Billy Schilling and Rowan Hore kicked Montrose from deficit to advantage with three quick goals.
Seven goals to two in the third term, including a last-second snap from Demons crumber Sam Goodman, pushed the margin out to 13 at the final change.
Down by 31 at three-quarter-time, new Noble Park coach Jon Knight told his players loudly and bluntly they had failed through the term and wanted something positive to come from the last quarter.
Noble Park found four early goals in the last term before the Demons fought back and clinched the match through a Hore crumbing goal before Goodman kicked the lucky last goal in Montrose’s first win in Division 1.
Andrew Haining locked horns with Noble’s Glen Manson in an interesting ruck battle all afternoon, but Haining would claim victory as he gave first use to the likes of coach Brett Johnson and new recruit Andrew Walker through the centre.
Also starring for the Demons were Dean Stephen, Johnson and Brendan Gardoll.
Johnson said the rally in the third quarter came from sticking to their guns.
“Keep doing what we’re doing it was a bit of an arm wrestle and it was whoever was first to break, really,” Johnson said.
“We just stuck to what we were doing and that was the important thing that I stressed at half time.
“Very proud of the boys’ efforts today – first time in Division 1 for 20 years and they did the club proud and it’s important that we continue to improve throughout the year.”
Montrose will head to Scoresby on Saturday for its second clash.
EFL SCOREBOARD
DIVISION 1
Montrose 3.3 7.6 14.10 17.10 (112)
Noble Park 2.4 7.9 9.9 13.13 (91)
MONTROSE Goals: B. Schilling 3, R. Hore 3, B. Johnson 2, S. Goodman 2, M. Petracca 2, M. Watson, D. Stephen, J. Garthwaite, O. McInerney, D. Rickard. Best: S. Goodman, D. Stephen, B. Johnson, B. Gardoll, S. Rickard, D. Rickard.
