Match Report

Match Report by Scott Gallacher

 

Stenhousemuir secured their first victory of the William Hill Championship campaign with a 2-0 win against Greenock Morton at Ochilview.

Mikey Anderson opened the scoring in the 57th minute before Gus Stevenson marked his first goal for the club with a terrific stoppage-time finish to seal all three points.

Marvin Bartley made one change to the side that drew 1-1 away to Raith Rovers the previous weekend, with Finn Robson replacing Matthew Gillies in the starting line-up.

The occasion marked Stenhousemuir’s first home league match in Scotland’s second tier since the league structure was reorganised following the 1974/75 season.

The Warriors threatened early when Dale Carrick slipped the ball into the Morton box. His delivery evaded a retreating defender, but Lewis O’Donnell could not get the touch required to turn it towards goal.

A rapid Stenhousemuir break then allowed Callum Penman to deliver a cross, which was deflected behind for a corner as the hosts looked to build some early momentum.

O’Donnell subsequently attempted to break through the Morton defence but was dispossessed on the edge of the box before he could test the goalkeeper.

Anderson then tried his luck, but Morton goalkeeper Elyh Harrison was equal to the effort.

The visitors responded when a free kick into the Stenhousemuir box found Laiith Fairnie, whose header was well saved by Darren Jamieson.

Lewis Hodgkiss continued to cause problems with a tremendous darting run before laying the ball off to Penman, but the resulting cross was blocked before it could reach the danger area.

Morton were awarded a free kick on the stroke of half-time, with the delivery almost creeping into the Stenhousemuir net before the danger passed.

Half-Time: Stenhousemuir 0-0 Greenock Morton

Both sides made changes at the interval, with Oscar MacIntyre replacing Kinlay Bilham for the Warriors, while MacKenzie Carse came on for Iain Wilson for the visitors.

Stenhousemuir started the second half positively, with Anderson forcing Harrison into a strong save from close range.

At the other end, Michael Garrity picked out Bobby McLuckie inside the box, but the Morton forward narrowly missed the opportunity to break the deadlock.

The breakthrough arrived in the 57th minute.

Anderson collected the ball from O’Donnell, charged towards goal and thumped a powerful effort into the net to give the Warriors the lead.

Morton almost responded immediately when Garrity attempted to turn the ball goalwards, but his effort drifted wide.

The Warriors looked increasingly dangerous on the attack, with Carrick trying his luck from distance, only to send his effort over the crossbar.

Morton continued to threaten, but Sam Young produced an important clearance to prevent the visitors from drawing level.

Hodgkiss then received the ball from Carrick before seeing his effort blocked behind for a corner.

Bartley introduced Stevenson, Euan O’Reilly and debutant Andrew Shinnie in the 77th minute, with Carrick, Hodgkiss and Robson making way.

O’Reilly soon made a crucial contribution at the other end, producing a spectacular block on the line to preserve Stenhousemuir’s advantage.

Penman looked certain to grab a second goal in the closing stages, but one touch too many allowed Harrison to smother the ball.

The decisive second goal arrived in the 92nd minute.

Penman picked out Stevenson inside the area, and the substitute crashed a superb strike into the roof of the net from an extremely tight angle, leaving Harrison with no chance.

It was Stevenson’s first goal for the club and his first at senior level, securing a memorable victory for the Warriors on their return to second-tier football at Ochilview.

Full-Time: Stenhousemuir 2-0 Greenock Morton

 

Match Preview

Match Preview by Scott Gallacher

 

Stenhousemuir welcome Greenock Morton to Ochilview Park on Saturday afternoon for the club’s first home match of the 2026/27 William Hill Championship campaign.

The action gets under way at 3pm as the Warriors prepare for a historic occasion with Saturday’s fixture being Stenhousemuir’s first home league match in Scotland’s second tier since the league structure was reorganised following the 1974/75 season.

Marvin Bartley’s side began their William Hill Championship campaign with a hard-earned 1-1 draw against Raith Rovers at Stark’s Park last weekend.

Raith opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Paul McMullan created space on the edge of the box before curling an excellent effort into the top-right corner.

Stenhousemuir responded 11 minutes later in unconventional circumstances. A defensive block rebounded off the face of Lewis Hodgkiss and struck the post before finding the net, giving the midfielder his second goal of the season.

The Warriors survived a late scare in the 93rd minute when Kai Montagu bundled the ball over the line for the hosts. However, a delayed offside flag cut short the celebrations and ensured Stenhousemuir returned home with a point from their first match in Scotland’s second tier of the modern era.

The result extended Stenhousemuir’s unbeaten run in professional competition to five matches. That sequence began with victories over Forfar Athletic and Brechin City in the Premier Sports Cup before draws against Partick Thistle and Livingston, with the Warriors claiming the bonus point from both penalty shootouts.

Greenock Morton arrive at Ochilview following a 1-0 defeat against Partick Thistle at Cappielow on the opening day.

The match remained goalless until the 82nd minute, when Aidan Fitzpatrick carried the ball forward before finding Seb Drozd. His effort was blocked but fell kindly for Ts’oanelo Lets’osa, who guided a left-footed finish into the net to secure all three points for the visitors.

Ian Murray’s side are searching for their first victory of the new campaign after losing all four of their Premier Sports Cup group matches, suffering defeats against Linlithgow Rose, East Fife, St Johnstone and Inverness Caledonian Thistle before their opening-day loss to Thistle.

The Cappielow side have therefore lost all five of their professional fixtures this season without scoring, conceding eight times across those matches.

Morton are also facing a win drought stretching back to March with Morton’s most recent victory being a 2-1 success against Arbroath, with Murray’s side subsequently going 10 professional fixtures without a win.

The sides last met at Ochilview on 17 January 2026 in the fourth round of the Scottish Gas Men’s Scottish Cup, with a place in the round of 16 at stake in which Stenhousemuir produced an emphatic 4-0 victory over the Ton to secure their progression.

Ross Meechan opened the scoring in the 39th minute, applying the finish after Nicky Jamieson got the first touch from a corner.

Morton were presented with an opportunity to equalise four minutes later when they were awarded a penalty. Eamonn Brophy stepped forward, but Darren Jamieson guessed correctly and produced an excellent save to preserve the Warriors’ advantage.

Stenhousemuir immediately broke forward and won another corner. Kinlay Bilham delivered into the box, where Matty Aitken was on hand to head home in the 45th minute and give the hosts a two-goal cushion at the interval.

Former Morton defender Gregor Buchanan added a third in the 65th minute, rising highest to meet another dangerous delivery and power a header into the net against his former club.

Aitken completed the scoring with ten minutes remaining, finishing confidently from close range to seal his brace and a commanding cup victory.