Stenhousemuir FC v Edinburgh City

Match Report

MATCH REPORTS

Stenhousemuir v Edinburgh City at Ochiilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 17.2.18

SPFL Ladbrokes League Two             Att 385

Stenhousemuir 1 [McGuigan 13] Edinburgh City 0

Stenhousemuir – McMinn, Meechan, M.Dunlop, R.Dunlop, Donaldson, Ferry, McGuigan , Paton, Longworth [McMenamin 82], Murray [Ferns 67] and Cook [Marsh 87]. Subs not used – Paterson, Scott and Gilmour.

Edinburgh City – Antell, Walker, Laird [b71], Blues [b32], Beattie, El Alagui, Shepherd, Dunn [b26], Tena [b90], Morrison [Thomson 69] and Scullion. Subs not used – Morton, Hall, Rodger and Watson

Referee – Stephen Finnie      Assistants – Gary Hilland and Alan McFadyen

After a decent performance at Montrose that didn’t bring any rewards the opposite could be said in this game when the Warriors were below par but still picked up all three points thanks to a mistake by Edinburgh City being punished.

Stenhousemuir gave a long awaited debut to Lewis McMinn in goals due to Chris Smith being unavailable and Lewis was rewarded for his patience as he had a shut out with his confidence growing as the game proceeded.

It was the side from the capital that had the best of the play in the early stages and McMinn saved a John Dunn shot in the fifth minute. He was beaten though by a Scott Shepherd half volley minutes later but luckily for Stenhousemuir it struck the post instead of going in.

Stenhousemuir almost caught the visitors napping at a quick corner and Callum Antell had to tip over a troublesome Ruaridh Donaldson cross to the back post. The only goal of the game came in the 13^th minute and it was definitely a case of unlucky thirteen for City’s player-assistant manager Craig Beattie as his pass back to Antell was intercepted by Mark McGuigan who had gambled on the scenario and although the keeper pushed his out to a tight angle the striker was still able to tuck the ball into the net. In the 22nd minute Antell was to be the winner as he denied McGuigan with a fine save.

There was a worrying moment for Stenhousemuir when a pass-back was short to McMinn and he was almost dispossessed by Shepherd but survived the scare. At the other end Antell did well to make a brave save at the feet on the advancing Harry Paton in the 35^th minute. In the last minute of the first period City struck the woodwork again when a Josh Walker corner was met by Pat Scullion at close range but he was unable to steer his effort into the net.

The second period saw Edinburgh start brightly again and McMinn saved a testing drive from Stuart Morrison in the 51^st minute and from the resultant corner the keeper was out-jumped by Farid El Alagui but the strikers header went just wide of the target.

The Citizens Stuart Morrison left the pitch in the 69^th minute through injury with a suspected ankle break but that didn’t seem to deter the visitors as a minute later McMinn had to save a Marc Laird shot that took a slight deflection.

The Warriors in the main were struggling to put the game to bed with most attempts straying just wide or over and the closest they came was a Ross Meechan strike that was partially blocked and ballooned up in the air and Antell did well to back track and tip the ball over the bar.

In the end though the Warriors picked up a vital win and left Edinburgh scratching their heads wondering how thay had left Ochilview without a share of the spoils.