Brechin City v Stenhousemuir FC

Match Report

Brechin City v Stenhousemuir at Glebe Park, Brechin on 16.8.14

SPFL League One             Attendance 418

Brechin City 1 [Trouten 43] Stenhousemuir 0

Stenhousemuir made a number of changes from the side that had beaten Airdrieonians the previous week. They had ridden their luck in that game and the manager was looking for a better performance than that one. With Jack Hamilton being recalled to Hearts after injury to Neil Alexander there was a new player in goals as Greg Fleming was signed from Celtic Nation and was given a swift debut. Captain Ross McMillan returned after a hamstring tweak the previous week but the other moves were tactical with Sean Dickson and Ryan Millar taking the wide berths though on the opposite wings to their normal positions. As it was a tight park as usual at Glebe Park this was maybe to allow the players to cause more problems by cutting inside into the danger area. Kieran Millar added a more robust element to the midfield and Colin McMenamin came into the starting eleven after decent performances as a sub.

The Warriors started the game with promise but they were unable to make any inroads with Brechin having a disciplined back line that more often than not caught the attacking players in an offside position. In fact it wasn’t until the 13^th minute before either keeper was called into action as Greg Fleming made a diving save at the feet of Alan Trouten after possession had been given away cheaply. There was not much for the keepers to do but Fleming will have been happy to see a Callum Tapping free kick fail to get any takers when a touch was all that was required for a potential goal.

Eventually the breakthrough came in the 43^rd minute when Stenhousemuir were slow to react to a swiftly taken free kick by Craig Molloy. Trouten found himself in acres of space and chipped Fleming to put the home team ahead. Stenhousemuir appealed for offside but their cries were denied though the assistant referee was also caught out by the quickness of the free kick. This goal came out of the blue but it was no surprise that Trouten was the marksman as it was no less than his ninth goal against Stenhousemuir for the City.

He almost doubled the lead in the 47^th minute with a header that hit Ross Meechan and went out for a corner though it seemed more luck than skill by the Stenhousemuir player to clear the effort. The best move by the visitors so far came in the 58^th minute when a Meechan cross was chested down by Bryan Hodge to Martin Grehan and his well struck volley was tipped onto the post by Graeme Smith.  Three minutes later Kieran Millar picked out Sean Dickson who had timed his run into the danger area but Smith anticipated and was able to block before gathering. Both players received treatment following a collision and although Dickson was eager to return to the proceedings he was subbed before he could take any further part in the game as both sides made double substitutions.

This didn’t have too much of a bearing on the complexion of the game though Stenhousemuir had just been getting a glimmer of an opening to get back into the game.  They had a great chance to do so in the 78^th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Paul McLean tripped Colin McMenamin in the box. The Brechin player was booked for the foul but it did not merit anything worse. Martin Grehan stepped up and took the spot kick but telegraphed his placement and although his strike was well placed it wasn’t struck with any power and Graeme Smith got across goal to make a vital save for the home side.

After that penalty save there was little for Brechin to worry about until the end of  the game with only a Josh Watt cross causing problems but like Tapping’s in the first half found no takers. Thus Brechin won by a solitary goal but there were few chances of note on either side and the lack of efforts on goal by the Warriors has been a worrying trait in competitive games so far this season.

Brechin City – Smith, J.McCormack, Hamilton, McLean [b78], D.McCormack, Tapping [Cameron 85], Trouten, Molloy, A.Jackson, Thomson [Fusco 63] and Ferguson [Barr 63]. Subs not used – S.Jackson, McLauchlan and Tough.

Stenhousemuir –Fleming, Meechan, Lithgow, McMillan, Summers, Hodge, Dickson [Reid 63][b75], K.Millar [Faulds 79], Grehan, McMenamin and R.Millar [Watt 63]. Subs not used – Greacen, Duncan, Sludden and Shaw.

Referee – George Salmond         Assistants – Ivan Stankovic and Mark McHendry