Stenhousemuir FC v Alloa Athletic

 

Stenhousemuir   1 [Motion 33]   Alloa Athletic 0

 

Both teams went into this game with unbeaten league records but Alloa had a 6 point margin over Stenhousemuir as they had won the majority of their games whilst Stenhousemuir had drawn the bulk of their games.

 

There were a couple of changes in the Stenhousemuir starting eleven with Iain Thomson and Kevin Bradley starting for Stephen Thomson and Willie Lyle. The Warriors started brightly and enforced their first corner within the first minute of the game and it almost brought about the first goal asPat Scullion’s delivery was headed on by Jordan Smith but his effort was cleared off the line by Scott Agnew.

 

Alloa had their best spell of the game in a five minute burst starting in the 12^th minute of the game

when Andy Scott had an effort comfortable saved by Chris McCluskey. This was followed a minute later with their best chance of the game when Iain Russell latched onto a poor header back to McCluskey from Jordan Smith but despite striking the ball well the Wasp’s striker was to be denied by a superb save from McCluskey who enhanced his credentials as a top rate shot stopper in this game. Alloa then saw Scott volley over but after this they rarely threatened again during the first half.

 

After this short burst it was the home side that took the game by the scruff of the neck and they should have really opened their account when Kevin Motion received the ball at the edge of the box but despite having time to place his effort he drilled the ball straight at Alloa keeper David Crawford. A couple of efforts thereafter failed to test Crawford but eventually the breakthrough came in the 33^rd minute through Kevin Motion who thundered a shot from the edge of the box that flew into the net giving Crawford no chance to stop. At this stage of the game it was a well deserved lead for the home side.

 

There was a scare for Stenhousemuir in the 37^th minute when Brown Ferguson was tripped just outside the box but fell inside but the referee was spot on in giving a freekick rather than a penalty and the Warriors were relieved when after the freekick struck a hand it was deemed to be accidental. It was the Warriors that almost sneaked a second before the interval when Iain Thomson saw an effort deflected just wide with Crawford beaten.

 

 

Both teams made changes at half time with Andy Brand replacing the injured Pat Scullion for the home team whilst Alloa brought on Stuart Noble at half time and he almost made an instant impact when he burst through the home ranks but was to be denied by a timely intercepting tackle from Gary Thom. 

 

Once again Stenhousemuir gradually took control and a number of chances fell their way as the game progressed but they failed to score that all important second goal that would have been a true indicator of how the game was progressing. Alloa on the other hand were struggling to get going but as league leaders could never be discounted. Their chance came in the 81^st minute when Agnew drilled a freekick from the edge of the box through the defensive wall , but despite seeing the ball late McCluskey brought off an instinctive save that was of the highest quality before the ball was scrambled clear,

 

With two minutes to go the game should have been killed off but Bradley missed from close range after being set up by Robert Love and this could have led to a nervous few minutes but luckily Alloa were unable to take advantage of Stenhousemur’s profligacy in front of goal and the final whistle blew with the Warriors still leading by that solitary Motion strike.

 

At the end of the game with the Warriors victorious they were now the only team in the division still undefeated as the other team holding the record apart from Alloa before this set of matches were East Fife and they lost heavily to new league leaders Stirling Albion.

 

Stenhousemuir – McCluskey, I.Thomson [b59], Thom, McLeod, Smith [b51], Molloy, Bradley, Scullion[b8] [Brand h/t], Dalziel [O’Reilly 79], Diack [Love 86] and Motion.

Subs not used – Bennett and Stirling

 

Alloa Athletic – Crawford, Brown, Welsh [McCafferty 33], Buist [b90], Walker [b30], Grant, Gilhaney [Keir 70], B.Ferguson, Russell [b86], Agnew and Scott [Noble h/t].

Subs not used – Carroll and Hall

 

Referee – Bobby Madden         

Assistants – Andrew McWilliam and Kevin J.Graham