Annan Athletic v Stenhousemuir FC

Match Report

MATCH REPORTS

Annan Athletic v Stenhousemuir at Galabank, Annan on 24.02.18

SPFL Ladbrokes League Two             Att 307

Annan Athletic 2 [Roberts 84, O’Keefe 90] Stenhousemuir 0

Annan Athletic – Mitchell, Hooper, Creaney, Henry, Watson [b65], Moxon [Roberts 56], Home, Sinnamon [O’Keefe 90], Smith [Armour 69], Henderson and Omar. Subs not used – Atkinson, Sonkur, Brannan and Salkeld.

Stenhousemuir – McMinn, Meechan [Longworth 87], M.Dunlop, R.Dunlop [b36], Donaldson [b62], Ferry, McGuigan, Paterson [McMenamin 74], Ferns, Paton [b71] and Cook. Subs not used – Gilmour, Marsh, Murray, Foden and Scott.

Referee – Grant Irvine           Assistants – Drew Kirkland and Michael Addy

In a game with chances few and far between it was Annan who came on top with two late goals in a game where it always looked as if the first team to strike would take all three points.

The Annan manager Peter Murphy will be delighted that changes he made produced the goods as both goals came from substitutes.

The Warriors travelled to Annan with a new keeper on the bench in Mark Foden who had signed an emergency loan from Ross County prior to the game. He is still to wear a Stenhousemuir jersey though as the stand in kitman hadn’t packed the keeper’s kit so both Mark and Lewis McMinn were wearing Annan jerseys thanks to the help of Annan and the referee for their assistance.

It wasn’t until the 17^th minute before there was a threat from either side when Aidan Smith received thr ball in a breakaway but with space opening up he elected to cross into the middle rather than shooting as the Annan top scorer would have expected to do. Two minutes later Mark McGuigan met an Alan Cook free-kick but his shot was put out for a corner. The Warriors were finding Annan hard to break down but Alex Mitchell had to save a decent strike from Eddie Ferns in the 27^th minute whilst Harry Paton had an effort just wide before the end of the half.

In the 54^th minute Lewis McMinn was called into action to push a Smith strike round the post. The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock was just after the hour when a 30 yard effort by Ross Meechan rattled the goal frame with the keeper helpless. Just after this there was danger at the other end Ruaridh Donaldson committed a foul on the edge of the box and was duly cautioned, Ryan Sinnamon took the free-kick that went just past the post.

The Warriors got the rub of the green in the 77^th minute when Cook was able to capitalise on a lucky bounce and cut inside before delivering to McGuigan but the striker was to be denied from 10 yards by a top class save from Mitchell.

Eventually the home side took the lead in the 84^th minute when a cross from the right eluded the Stenhousemuir defence and Scott Roberts showed composure to tee the ball up and stroke it past McMinn and into the net.

With four minutes left Harry Paton created an opening for himself jinking past his marker but shot just wide. The game was put beyond doubt in time added on when Conor O’Keefe who had been on the field for seconds hit a curling shot from the edge of the box into the net.

Shortly after this the whistle blew for full time and Annan were victorious against Stenhousemuir for the second time this season and this was their first ever win at Galabank against the Warriors.