Airdrie got their League One campaign off to a poor start as Montrose ran out comfortable winners at New Broomfield.
The Gable Endies didn't do anything particularly spectacular, but Lewis Milne ran the show for them, setting up one and scoring the second.
They soaked up everything Airdrie threw at them - which wasn't much - and hit on the counter to devastating effect.
Montrose led at the interval thanks to Terry Masson's goal, but that was one bit of quality in an otherwise dull first half.
Airdrie did try to get in amongst their visitors, but Montrose simply sat back and cleared their lines, while attacking on the counter, and successfully.
The Diamonds rarely got far over the halfway line, while Montrose's Lewis Milne in particular caused problems.
That came home to roost early in the second half, when Milne was given too much time and space in defence and simply ran through to score Montrose's second.
Sub Blair Lyons was brought down in the box in 73 minutes and Graham Webster dispatched the penalty to make absolutely sure of the win.
Both of these sides lost 4-1 to teams from a higher league last Saturday, with Airdrie losing at Queen of the South, and Montrose going down to Ross County, both in the Premier Sports Cup.
Airdrie boss Ian Murray made one change to his line-up, with Rhys McCabe coming in for Sam Wardrop.
Montrose gaffer Stewart Petrie made five changes to his side, with goalkeeper Allan Fleming in for Aaron Lennox, and Sean Dillon, Terry Masson, Mark Whatley and Martin Rennie replacing Craig Brown, Paul Watson, Blair Lyons and Craig Johnston.
Airdrie did most of the early running and had a close call when a Matty McDonald free kick was headed over the bar just ahead of Scott Agnew at the back post.
But Montrose took the lead with their first real chance when Lewis Milne crossed for Masson and the veteran clipped a low shot into the bottom left corner past helpless Max Currie.
Milne was causing all sorts of problems for Airdrie in the first half, with a couple of hots deflected past for corners, while the hosts couldn't seem to get anything together that approached a move in the final third.
Airdrie thought they had found a gap in defence in 39 minutes as Salim Kouider-Aissa played the ball back to Agnew in the box, but as he blazed over the offside flag went up.
At the other end a Liam Callaghan corner from the right was headed well wide of the left post by Matty Allan, but it was another free header.
Airdrie made a change at the interval, throwing on Gabby McGill for Matty McDonald, but were forced into another alteration three minutes later when Kouider-Aissa went off injured, and Jordan Allan came on.
But Montrose effectively secured the three points in 50 minutes when Milne was given far too much time and space, so waltzed through the defence before firing into the left corner.
Milne tried to turn provider again five minutes after that, but Masson's shot was well blocked at the left post.
There was a rare chance for Airdrie in 67 minutes but sub Dylan Easton's low shot was comfortably taken by Fleming.
Rhys McCabe tried a carbon copy of his spectacular free kick goal against Motherwell in 70 minutes, but it was an easy save this time.
Montrose were already home and hosed but added a bit of gloss in 74 minutes when Graham Webster confidently slotted a spot-kick into the bottom left corner, after sub Blair Lyons was brought down in the box.
A hooked shot from Lyons nearly added a fourth in 81 minutes, but it bounced harmlessly wide of the left post.
Agnew tried to claw something back for Airdrie with a shot from distance, but again it was comfortable for Fleming.
AIRDRIE: Currie, Watson, Kerr, Fordyce, McCabe, S. McGill (Easton, 59), Agnew, McDonald (G. McGill, 46), Quitongo, Gallagher, Kouider-Aissa (Allan 48).
Subs (not used): Cantley (GK), Ritchie, Pyott, Frizzell.
Bookings: Kerr (73)
MONTROSE: Fleming, Allan, Waddell (Quinn, 76), Dillon, Steeves (Watson, 77), Webster, Masson, Whatley, Callaghan, Rennie (Lyons, 71), Milne.
Subs (not used): Lennox (GK), Brown, Antoniazzi.
Bookings: Waddell (53)
Referee: Lloyd Wilson.
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