Montrose held on to take three deserved points against mid-table rivals East Fife.
Montrose opened the scoring after 10 minutes when Paul Doyle chested down a Kevin Webster corner and smashed the ball high into the net.
Montrose looked for more and after 13 minutes Martin Wood burst forward and had a shot turned round the post by Scott Morrison.
After 22 minutes Graeme Sharp cut the ball back for Craig Smart to side-foot just wide of the East Fife goal.
Then in the 27th minute Webster crossed and Smart had a flashing header saved by Morrison. Three minutes later Wood crossed for Sharp to head just over.
Right on half-time Sharp rounded Morrison and the keeper was fortunate that the winger's cut-back broke into his hands.
East Fife attacked at the start of the second half and Leslie Byle volleyed just wide. Then Paul Gaughan had a shot saved by Jim Butter.
Montrose looked to have sealed the points seven minutes from time when Calum Watson beat two men on the right and crossed for Webster to score.
After 88 minutes Watson should have made it 3-0 but blazed over from a Smart pass.
East Fife got a goal back in the 90th minute. Derek Colquhoun struck the cross-bar with a free-kick and Fraser Duncan followed up to head home, despite the efforts of Barry Donnachie to clear off the line.