Elgin City v Stenhousemuir FC

Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Elgin City v Stenhousemuir at Boroughbriggs, Elgin on 21.10.17

Ladbrokes SPFL League Two             Att 654

Elgin City 2 [Cameron 55 pen, Reilly 75] Stenhousemuir 0

Elgin City – Waters, Cooper, Strapp, McHardy, Eadie, McGovern, Anderson [Dodd 64], Reilly [b65], McLeish [Allan 75], Cameron and Sutherland [b61] [Reid 81]. Subs not used – Smith, Ferguson, Bronsky and Dear.

Stenhousemuir – Smith, Meechan [b69][Scott 77], M.Dunlop, R.Dunlop, Paterson, Ferry [b65], McGuigan, Paton [b49] [Murray 59], McMenamin [Longworth 59], Ferns and Donaldson. Subs not used – Marsh, Gilmour, Allan and McMinn.

Referee – Mat Northcroft     Assistants – Graham McNeillie and Chris Phillips

The last game of the first quarter ended in disappointment for the Warriors as their unbeaten run came to an end against an energetic Elgin side who ran out winners by virtue of their second half performance when Stenhousemuir were unable to get into any sort of rhythm.

The visitors made only one change from the team that beat Edinburgh City in the Scottish Cup with Eddie Ferns making a rare start with Jamie Longworth dropping to the bench. Elgin showed their intent from the start with Darryl McHardy coming close with a dipping header in the first minute of the game. A minute later a Harry Paton cross was met by Colin McMenamin but although he got a header on target it was a simple save by the keeper Marc Waters. In the opening period the game ebbed and flowed but neither keeper was unduly threatened. Gradually however Elgin gained possessional play as they adjusted to the pitch better. [This was Stenhousemuir’s first league game on grass this season]. Bruce Anderson a loanee from Aberdeen tested Chris Smith in the 20^th minute but the keeper made a fine diving save. Within a minute Ferns was involved in two chances at the other end, the first when he flashed a cross into the danger area but there were no takers and this was followed by a shot that was blocked by the home defence.

In the second period the home side had the bulk of the play whilst Stenhousemuir saw Mark McGuigan play a lone role up front where he was usually well marshalled by the home defence with ex-Falkirk player Cameron Eadie ,who had originally been a sub but started after Stephen Bronsky was injured in the warm up, rarely letting him free.

Eventually Elgin took the lead in the 55^th minute through a Brian Cameron penalty after McMenamin fouled Lewis Strapp in the box. The award was on the soft side and Stenhousemuir could be felt disappointed as they felt they had a claim during the game when McGuigan looked to have been fouled. This goal was the first time Stenhousemuir had been behind in a game since the first league game of the season. The Warriors made a double substitution to try and get back into the game though the departure of Harry Paton was perhaps a safeguard as it looked as if he would pick up his second caution of the game the way that the game was going. Eddie Ferns almost the equaliser in the 66^th minute after a decent passage of play saw him set free but although he hit a decent shot he was to be denied by a fine Waters stop at the post with the keeper pushing the ball out for a corner.

The City extended their lead in the 75^th minute when Thomas Reilly smashed a loose ball into the net off the underside of the bar. It was a strike worthy of winning any game and proved to be the vital goal in this game.

The final whistle blew with the home side winning 2-0 to give Gavin Price his first league win as manager after stepping up to assistant to Jim Weir who had left a fortnight earlier.

The Warriors although beaten will be as much disappointed with some of the play as much as the score as during the second period they rarely created any opportunities and in attacking areas they lacked composure at the vital times with the final ball going awry as they failed to score for the first time in the league this season.