Stenhousemuir FC v Annan Athletic

Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Stenhousemuir v Annan Athletic at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 9.12.17

SPFL Ladbrokes League Two             Att 242

Stenhousemuir 1 [McMenamin 69] Annan Athletic 3 [Henderson 70,80,90]

Stenhousemuir – Smith, Meechan [Ferns 81], M.Dunlop, R.Dunlop, Donaldson [Marsh 81], Ferry, McGuigan, Paterson [Longworth 81], McGuigan, Scott and Cook. Subs not used – Gilmour, Allan, Murray, McMinn.

Annan Athletic – Mitchell, Brannan, Creaney, Moxon, Watson, Swinglehurst [Hooper 22], Orsi [Sonkur 87], Sinnamon, Smith, Henderson and Omar [Fergusson 60]. Subs not used – Atkinson, Luke, Ruthiewicz and Murphy.

Referee – David Munro         Assistants –Joseph Lawson and Robert Thomson

Games between Stenhousemuir and Annan tend to be cagey affairs with little goalmouth action as the reams cancel each other out. On this occasion though it was an end to end game with plenty of goalmouth action.  Perhaps the Stenhousemuir support would have preferred the normal scenario though as the was Annan’s first ever win over the Warriors courtesy of a Blair Henderson hat trick.

The Warriors welcomed back Alan Cook at the start of a loan spell from Alloa and he was drafted straight into the starting eleven and he created the first real chance for Colin McMenamin that the striker just failed to connect with. Mark McGuigan had a couple of efforts well saved by Alex Mitchell but it wasn’t one way traffic and Ruaridh Donaldson did well to block an Aidan Smith strike. Ryan Sinnamon tested Chris Smith in the 23^rd minute. Play transferred to the other end and Mitchell saved from Cook as he attempted to round the keeper.  Towards the end of an open half the Warriors had a real let of when Smith failed to control the ball when through on the keeper and the danger was averted, then in the last minute Colin McMenamin saw a diving header saved once again by Mitchell.

The home side started the second period on the attack once again and a flashing Jimmy Scott strike was tipped away by Mitchell who was keeping the visitors in the game. He almost blotted his copybook though in the 51^st minute when he spilled a Cook shot but Jack Brannan came to the rescue to block McMenamin’s shot as he tried to convert the rebound. Once again the play moved to the other end and Blair Henderson tested the Warriors keeper. Aiden Smith then was denied by his namesake before Mitchell brought off another outstanding save to stop a McGuigan shot one handed.

Eventually the  breakthrough came in the 69^th minute when a driven cross by Cook was met by McGuigan and although his effort was saved, this time Colin McMenamin was on hand to convert the rebound. There followed celebrations as it looked as if the goal would never come. A lack of concentration almost immediately after the kick off though was to cost Stenhousemuir dear as Henderson was to rifle a shot past Smith for a very quick equaliser. The striker could have got his second a minute later but miss-kicked when in a good position. He didn’t have too long to wait though before he scored once again when he converted from close range after reacting first after an initial attempt had struck the upright.

The Warriors made a triple substitution to try and turn the game around and in desperation Chris Smith more than once found himself in attack at set pieces. For most of the closing minutes though the Warriors were camped in the Annan half without really creating clear cut chances. Much of the play came from high balls by Smith from roughly the halfway line. It was clearly a risky way to try and get back into the game and the home side were made to pay the price when Henderson blocked a Smith kick in stoppage time and rolled the ball into the net from at least 45 yards for his first hat-trick whilst an Annan player and to cement victory for the Galabank side.