Stenhousemuir FC v Cowdenbeath

 

The last meeting between the clubs saw jubilant scenes for the Stenhousemuir support as they had just won promotion to the Second Division via the play-offs. It turned out to be irrelevant as Cowdenbeath were also elevated into the Second Division after the problems at Livingston.

 

Nevertheless encounters between Stenhousemuir and Cowden have always been intriguing in recent years and there was a feeling that this could be another close encounter. In the end the Warriors supporters were to be despondent after rarely getting into a game that ended with a more comfortable victory for the Blue Brazil that the score suggests and there was an air of doom and gloom for the first time at Ochilview this season as the home side lost in the league for the first time with a performance that was the worst of the season.

 

The Warriors kicked off with the wind at their backs and had a good opportunity to take the lead in the 13^th minute when a Kevin Motion cross was missed by Scott Linton and fell to Iain Diack at the back post but his shot was comfortably saved by David Hay. Cowdenbeath’s Scott McBride then tested Chris McCluskey with a drive from the edge of the box that the Stenhousemuir keeper managed to get a hand to. Stenhousemuir’s Diack was then denied by a Linton interception from another Motion cross just as the Warriors striker looked to head home. In the 36^th minute there was a bad miss for the home side when Craig Molloy was unable to control a Craig O’Reilly cross and despite taking a touch was only able to fire over from 6 yards out.   

 

It took goals either sides of half time to make the difference. The first in the 39^th minute was a header by Jon Robertson his first ever senior goal. A cross by Linton was missed by Gary Thom and caught Chris McCluskey off guard. Robertson rushed in to head home from close range with the keeper who should have intercepted the cross slow to react with the inevitable consequences.

 

The second goal in the 50^th minute was a controversial affair that could have been prevented. Chris McLeod was woefully short with a header back to McCluskey and with Gareth Wardlaw looking to intercept the keeper attempted to clear with his head on the edge of the box. He looked as if he had managed that and though there was a collision between him and Wardlaw the referee allowed play to continue. For the second week running the Warriors management were left to rue the intervention of an assistant as the standside assistant felt that a penalty should be awarded and persuaded the referee Mr Colvin to change his mind. McCluskey was cautioned though if it was a penalty should have been dismissed and Iain Diack and Kevin Bradley were also cautioned for their protests. When the game restarted Scott McBride duly converted the spot kick with ease.

 

Normally the Warriors are positive in trying to fight their way back into the game but on this occasion they failed miserably despite changes in personnel and the referee would have been as well ending the game at that stage as the result was a formality and just the margin was in doubt.