Brechin City v Stenhousemuir FC

After one of the best performances for some time the previous week against Alloa Athletic everyone was hoping that the momentum could be carried onto this game at Glebe Park. It was always going to be difficult to replicate the standard achieved against Brechin City who had won their last 5 home games on their tight pitch but the Warriors let themselves down with a somewhat flat performance on the day.

 

Going into the game they had one enforced change with Pat Scullion’s injury meaning that Andy Brand came into the starting eleven. The game started in positive fashion for Stenhousemuir as they forced a series of corners in quick succession that Brechin struggled to clear with conviction but after this initial flurry of activity the home side began to have more of the play and become the stronger team. Brechin’s first chance came in the 6^th minute of the game when the ball fell to Willie Dyer but his effort across goal went wide of the target. This was followed a minute later by a Rory McAllister effort that was deflected just past the post by Chris McLeod.

 

Although the pitch at Glebe Park is tight the home side seemed to be getting into dangerous positions all too easy and Stenhousemuir fell behind in the 23^rd minute when Richard Walker played the ball behind the hesitant McLeod and Charlie King collected the bouncing ball on his chest before thundering a shot past Chris McCluskey.

 

The Warriors were struggling to break down the Brechin defence with the forwards looking isolated the majority of the time and they lacked the service to cause major problems. It looked as if Stenhousemuir had been handed a lifeline however when referee Steven Nicholls awarded them a penalty after Craig Molloy appeared to be fouled by Paul McLean. The standside assistant David Watt however saw the incident differently and after the officials had a consultation Mr Nicholls changed his mind and awarded a drop ball much to the disbelief of the Stenhousemuir management.

 

Chances after that for both teams in the first half were at a premium though in the 36^th minute a ball over the top by Kevin Motion found Iain Diack but the ex-City striker fired wide of the target.  

 

The second half started brightly for the Warriors and Kevin Bradley fired high and wide from the edge of the box in the 51^st minute. Brechin though always looked dangerous on the counter attack and McCluskey kept the Warriors in the game when he saved a McAllister effort a minute later. The Warriors went back up the park and Molloy was tripped by Barry Smith inside the box and once again a penalty was awarded. This time there was no intervention by an assistant and Scott Dalziel stepped up to take it. For the second away game in a row though he failed to convert the opportunity as Craig Nelson was able to save what was in truth a weak strike.

 

There was to be a scare at the other end when a freekick from McLean from the halfway line almost caught McCluskey out but he was able to scramble the ball over the bar.

Dalziel  came close to getting the equaliser in the 62^nd minute when he tested the keeper with a strike after Molloy had chested the ball into his path from a Diack cross but once again Nelson proved to be up to the task and the keeper proved his worth once again in the 70^th minute to tip an Iain Thomson effort round the post.

 

Stenhousemuir rang the changes shortly after this making a triple substitution as they sought to get back into the game but before they could settle Brechin missed another chance through McAllister as once again McCluskey denied him in a one on one situation.

 

The latter stages of the game saw Stenhousemuir camped in the Brechin half of the pitch but they were unable to penetrate the strong defensive barrier as the home side held firm and when the final whistle blew the Warriors unbeaten league record since the start of the season had came to an end.