Match Report

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.