Match Report

Match Report written by Scott Gallacher

 

Stenhousemuir returned to winning ways with another impressive Championship victory as substitute Hamzad Kargbo’s first goal for the club secured a 1-0 win over Partick Thistle at Ochilview.

Hamzad Kargbo came off the bench in the 72nd minute and, just four minutes later, met captain Ross Meechan’s delivery to head beyond Liam McFarlane. The victory maintained Stenhousemuir’s unbeaten start to their Championship campaign and moved them three points clear at the top of the table with 16 points from a possible 18. It also inflicted Partick Thistle’s first league defeat of the season.

Bartley made four changes to the starting XI which had faced Hearts four days earlier. Euan O’Reilly, Gus Stevenson, Oscar MacIntyre and Matty Gillies came into the side, replacing Finn Robson, Lewis O’Donnell, Kinlay Bilham and Lewis Hodgkiss.

Stenhousemuir made an encouraging start and immediately looked to get on the front foot. An inviting early delivery into the Partick penalty area forced the visitors into action before Mikey Anderson tried his luck from the edge of the box, only for his effort to be deflected behind.

The resulting corner caused further problems for the Jags as the delivery travelled towards Sam Young at the back post. The defender came agonisingly close to making contact, but the ball escaped him and Thistle survived.

Partick began to settle into the contest and looked dangerous when they were able to break forward, although Ross Meechan was alert to halt one promising attack before it could develop.

Darren Jamieson was soon called upon at the other end. Ben Stanway found space in the middle of the penalty area and directed a low left-footed effort towards the bottom corner, but the Stenhousemuir goalkeeper got down sharply to make the save.

The Warriors responded with another good opportunity in the 21st minute. Meechan delivered an excellent ball into the Partick box and Young rose to meet it, sending a header towards goal. McFarlane positioned himself well, however, and gathered the attempt to keep the scores level.

Partick went close themselves five minutes later when Tony Watt found room in the Stenhousemuir area, but the experienced striker dragged his effort narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

Stenny continued to carry a threat on the counter. A quick transition allowed the Warriors to move the ball rapidly upfield before Anderson found himself in another promising shooting position, although the Partick defence once again managed to get bodies in the way.

The contest remained finely poised as the interval approached. Robbie Crawford saw an effort blocked at one end, while Meechan even tested McFarlane from distance with an ambitious strike which the Thistle goalkeeper dealt with comfortably. Oscar MacIntyre then fired over in first-half stoppage time as neither side was able to find the breakthrough.

Half-time: Stenhousemuir 0-0 Partick Thistle

The visitors created the first clear opening following the restart. A set-piece eventually fell for Stanway inside the Stenhousemuir area, but his shot flashed wide of the far post.

Young was shown a yellow card shortly afterwards following a foul which handed Thistle another opportunity from a dangerous position. The resulting passage ended without serious damage as the Warriors stood firm. Young’s booking was followed by yellow cards for Thistle pair Daniel O’Reilly and Ben McPherson in a physical start to the second period.

Stenhousemuir came within inches of taking the lead in the 58th minute.

Euan O’Reilly stood over a free-kick on the left and produced a superb effort which curled towards the top-right corner. McFarlane was beaten, but the ball drifted agonisingly wide of the upright.

Thistle were then awarded a free-kick in an extremely dangerous central position at the opposite end. Cale Loughrey took responsibility, but the Warriors wall did its job and blocked his driven attempt before Stenny cleared the danger.

The game remained open, with both teams searching for the goal which increasingly looked as though it might prove decisive.

Another Stenhousemuir move saw a delivery into the penalty area reach Leyton Grant, although there was slightly too much pace on the ball for the defender to bring it under control.

Young then went desperately close once more. Meechan sent another excellent delivery into the area and the centre-back rose to meet it, but his header travelled narrowly off target.

At the other end, Jamieson produced one of the saves of the night in the 71st minute. Ben McPherson managed to get a powerful effort away from inside the right side of the penalty area, but the Warriors goalkeeper reacted superbly to keep the ball out and preserve the deadlock.

Hamzad Kargbo and Lewis Hodgkiss were introduced in the 72nd minute in place of Andrew Shinnie and Gus Stevenson as Stenhousemuir looked for fresh impetus in the closing stages.

It took Kargbo just four minutes to make his impact and net his first goal in maroon.

Captain Meechan found room to deliver from the right-hand side and sent the ball into the danger area, where the towering striker rose to meet it. Kargbo directed his header over McFarlane and towards the bottom corner, with the ball crossing the line to send Ochilview into celebration.

Partick immediately attempted to respond and Oisin Smyth came close from a direct free-kick two minutes later. His effort cleared the Stenhousemuir wall but flew narrowly over the top-right corner of Jamieson’s goal.

Bartley made another double alteration with ten minutes remaining as Lewis O’Donnell and Finn Robson replaced Euan O’Reilly and Mikey Anderson.

The Warriors could have put the game beyond doubt in stoppage time. Lewis Hodgkiss did brilliantly to steal in behind the Partick defence and get himself into a shooting position inside the area, but his effort travelled wide.

With five additional minutes indicated, Thistle threw bodies forward in search of a leveller and ensured Stenhousemuir had to defend right until the end.

Jamieson was called into action twice in quick succession in stoppage time, first getting down to save an effort from substitute Euan Henderson before producing another important stop from Seb Drozd inside the penalty area.

Gregor Buchanan was introduced for MacIntyre as the Warriors looked to see out the final moments, and the Stenhousemuir defence repelled a succession of late Thistle corners before referee Sean Murdoch finally brought proceedings to an end.

The Warriors now sit three points clear at the Championship summit ahead of another home fixture against Arbroath on Saturday.

Full-time: Stenhousemuir 1-0 Partick Thistle

 

Match Preview

 

Stenhousemuir welcome Partick Thistle to Ochilview Park on Tuesday evening for a William Hill Championship clash under the lights, with kick-off at 7:45pm.

Marvin Bartley’s side head into the fixture sitting second in the table on 13 points from five matches, level on points with leaders Raith Rovers but behind on goal difference. Victory or a draw on Tuesday would be enough to lift the Warriors back to the top of the Championship.

Stenhousemuir’s last league action was a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Livingston, a result which extended their winning run to four Championship victories in a row. Andrew Shinnie, who joined the club last month following his exit from Livingston, settled the contest after 13 minutes, advancing on goal following good pressing from Mikey Anderson and Lewis O’Donnell before slotting calmly beyond Jérôme Prior. There was an added edge to the occasion for both Shinnie and Bartley, the Stenhousemuir boss having also left Livingston earlier this summer before taking charge at Ochilview.

The Warriors had to dig in for the win at Almondvale. Bruce Anderson caused problems for the home side throughout, seeing a first-half header come back off the woodwork, while Livingston also had some penalty claims turned down by referee James Wilkie. Darren Jamieson and the Stenhousemuir defence held firm regardless, with Scott Bright making a crucial goal-line block to deny Anderson an equaliser in the second half.

The victory kept Stenhousemuir top of the Championship heading into the following week and stretched Marvin Bartley’s unbeaten record since taking over in June to nine matches in all competitions, a run which also included knocking Premiership side Motherwell out of the Premier Sports Cup. It has been a remarkable start for Bartley and assistant Neil Hastings, who arrived late in the summer following Gary Naysmith’s departure for Ayr United, with the part-time Warriors yet to lose a league match and sitting among the pace-setters at the top of a Championship table they were only promoted into in the summer.

That unbeaten run in all competitions eventually came to an end four days later, when Stenhousemuir were beaten 3-0 by Hearts in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ochilview. Despite the scoreline, the Warriors gave a good account of themselves against one of the strongest sides in the country, with Bartley’s men reaching the last eight of a national cup competition for the first time since 1975 after having knocked out Motherwell in the previous round. The defeat came in the cup, and Stenhousemuir’s league record remains unblemished heading into Tuesday’s game.

Partick Thistle arrive at Ochilview sitting third in the Championship on 11 points from five games, two points and one place behind Stenhousemuir. The Jags are unbeaten in their last three league outings, a run which began with a 1-1 draw away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle and continued with a goalless draw at home to Queen’s Park before their most recent outing, a 1-0 win over Ayr United at Firhill. Seb Drozd scored the only goal of that game just before the break, pouncing after Ayr goalkeeper Harry Stone failed to hold onto a corner delivery, with Tony Watt also going close either side of half-time.

The two sides have already met once this season, with the Warriors edging it after penalties at Firhill in the Premier Sports Cup group stage back in July.

With both clubs among the early pace-setters in the Championship, Tuesday’s meeting at Ochilview shapes up as a significant early-season test for both sides in the race for the top of the table.