Stenhousemuir FC v Airdrieonians

Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Airdrieonians at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 9.8.14

SPFL League One                             Attendance 728

Stenhousemuir 1 [Grehan 87] Airdrieonians 0

They says a week is a long time in politics and it seems to be the same with football as this game bore little resemblance to the one played the previous week between the same two teams. In that game the Warriors were in control for much of the game and ran out deserved winners. The result was the same in this match as Stenhousemuir were victorious but they can hardly be said to have merited the win as on this occasion Airdrie were the dominant team.

Both teams showed a couple of changes from the previous week with Ross Meechan replacing Robbie Duncan at right back and Stewart Greacen playing instead of the injured Ross McMillan. For Airdrie Nathan Blockley, through injury, and Keigan Parker were replaced by Scott Gray and Chris O’Neil.

Airdrie had ex-Warrior’s trialist Jim Lister up front and he was supported behind by Liam Watt who was one of the most effective men on the park. The Lanarkshire men had been fairly lacklustre in the previous encounter but in this game they were far more urgent in their pressing game and rarely gave the Stenhousemuir players time on the ball. With the game becoming more and more compact and the home side rarely forcing the issue there were few occasions when Stenhousemuir put pressure on Airdrie. As the game progressed Bryan Hodge was forced deeper and deeper to pick up the ball and therefore was less effective and this also saw John Sludden drop further to the rest of the midfield than was desired as well and on the rare occasion that Martin Grehan got the ball his lack of pace and lack of support meant that chances were at a premium. For most of the game it looked as if the only way Stenhousemuir was going to get a goal was either from a set piece or an Airdrie mistake.

Airdrie for their part were getting more freedom down the flanks and they will feel that they had enough chances to win the game. There were numerous times that the ball flashed across the box without anyone getting the vital touch as Stenhousemuir rode their luck. For all their pressure they rarely tested Jack Hamilton in the Warrior’s goal and he in the main proved to be up to the task apart from a couple of awkward moments with his distribution. When the whistle blew for half time it was hoped that Stenhousemuir would regroup and put on a better performance in the second period.

They were forced into a change as Jamie Reid was unable to restart after struggling with an injury and Colin McMenamin replaced him. The best chance so far came in the 53^rd minute when for a change Airdrie played the ball through the middle rather than the flanks and Lister held off his marker before finding himself with only the keeper to beat but Hamilton brought off a superb save. A rare chance for Stenhousemuir came in the 58^th minute when a Josh Watt free kick was met by Hodge but his strike hit Alan Lithgow and was cleared. Lithgow was involved at the other end in the 63^rd minute when a Lister strike beat Hamilton but failed to beat Lithgow who saved with a header off the line at ground level.  With that miss it was obvious that it was not going to be a happy day for the Diamonds.

In the 80^th minute the Warriors came close through a fierce McMenamin drive that hit the back stanchion before they stole the points in the 87^th minute when Ryan Millar eluded his marker before picking out Martin Grehan who had checked his run and the striker scuffed his shot into the bottom corner to give Stenhousemuir all three points.

Stenhousemuir –Hamilton, Meechan, Greacen, Lithgow, Summers [b11], Hodge [b78], Reid [McMenamin h/t], Faulds [R.Millar 81], Grehan, Sludden and Watt [Dickson 63]. Subs not used – Lawson, K.Millar, Shaw and Duncan.

Airdrieonians – McNeil, Bain, P.Boyle, Hamill [J.Boyle 90], Proctor, Fitzpatrick, Gray [Haggerty 57], Stewart, Lister, Watt and O’Neil. Subs not used – Parker, Wilson, Birstingl, Kirwan and Richmond.

Referee – Greg Aitken  Assistants – Graham McNellie and Paul O’Neil.