Stenhousemuir FC v Albion Rovers

Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Albion Rovers at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 15.12.12

Irn Bru Scottish Secod Division                   Att 396

Stenhousemuir 1 [Smith 52]        Albion rovers 0

The Warriors went into this game with the same starting eleven as faced Arbroath last week seeking their first victory in the league since October. They managed to secure all three points and at the same time keep a clean sheet but in some ways it was a victory at a cost.

The last meeting between the games was an eight goal thriller. This though was a more measured affair with it being a rather cagey affair. Chances in the first half were at a premium with the best falling to Rovers Barry Russell who shot wide after being released by a Tony Stevenson pass that carved the home defence wide open in the 24^th minute. Stenhousemuir did hit the crossbar on the half hour following a melee in the Rovers box when the Coatbridge side struggled to clear a Greg Ross cross. The only other chances in the first half came from Bryan Hodge free kicks that Scot Buist headed wide in 17 minutes and Ross McMillan headed into Matt McGinley’s arms in the 45^th minute.   

Stenhousemuir had played some decent football but it was only really at set pieces that they had caused problems with Albion Rovers playing a more defensive game that was interrupting the flow of the home side.

The second half started with Stenhousemuir on the attack again but were still struggling to create any real openings. They eventually opened the scoring in the 52^nd minute though it is fair to say that they were given a helping hand by Rovers keeper Matt McGinley as he allowed a Darren Smith volley from a Brown Ferguson cross to squeeze though his hands like a bar of slippery soap and into the net.

The Warriors came close to doubling the score in the 55^th minute when McGinley partly atoned for his earlier mistake when he brought off a fine save at close range from Ferguson.  The Warriors player was bundled to the ground as he tried to get to the rebound but the referee thought otherwise.

On the hour Albion Rovers almost equalised when Kevin Green sent the ball past Callum Reidford but Eric Paton executed a superb clearance off the line to deny the Rovers defender. That though was to be the last meaningful play by the Warrior as within minutes he was injured in a tackle and was carried off with possible ligament damage.

Whilst the home side were reorganising Rovers had their best spell of the game and David Crawford and Christie Elliott both had shots saved by Reidford.

Stenhousemuir looked to be back in control when Kevin McKinlay was sent off for his second caution in the 80^th minute for supposed time wasting. The decision astounded everyone as he didn’t appear to be taking too long at a throw in deliberately but was waiting for space to open up. The first booking for dissent in the first half was fair enough but would have not happened if the referee had spotted a blatant push in the back that had cost a corner.

With the Warriors down to ten men they were pushed back by a Rovers team who tried desperately to get back onto level terms. Stenhousemuir’s rare attacks after this came from breakaways and a Darren Smith run ended with a powerful shot that was saved by McGinley. In the 88^th minute Iain Thomson was tripped by Alan Reid and after the whistle blew the Rovers player clipped Thomson’s heels twice whilst the Warrior was on the ground. That misdemeanour though only produced another yellow card.

In the fifth minute of time added on Scot Buist was fouled in the centre circle by Simon Marriott. It was an innocuous foul but the referee decided otherwise and the Rovers player was cautioned. He must have made his feelings known as he was shown a second yellow instantly and therefore was sent off. The game ended with no further incident though and it ended with Stenhousemuir victorious.

They say that the sign of a good referee is when you cannot remember who he was at the end of the game. It is safe to say that the only element of this game that supporters from both clubs will remember in the future was the performance of Mr Finnie who took it upon himself to be the centre of attraction with a series of decisions that bemused and baffled those unfortunate to witness it and could have repercussions as both teams will be without personnel in their next game.

Stenhousemuir, Reidford, Ross, McKinlay [b19][so80], Buist, McMillan [b83], Paton [Dickson 68], Ferguson, I. Thomson, Kean, Hodge, Smith [Love 90]. Subs not used, Lawson, Brash and Fairley,

Albion Rovers, McGinley, Reid [b88], Russell, Stevenson [Boyle 73], Green [b55], O’Byrne [Donnelly h/t], Crawford [b45], Marriott [b90][so90], Elliott, Halsman [Howarth 62] and Phillips. Subs not used, Tiffney, McWilliams

Referee – Stephen Finnie            Assistants – Joseph Lawson and Derek Leith