Stenhousemuir FC v Forfar Athletic

Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Forfar Athletic at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 14.11.15

Ladbrokes League One                  Att 438

Stenhousemuir 2 [McMenamin 78, Scotland pen 84] Forfar Athletic 2 [Campbell 31 pen, Denholm 51]

For the second game in a row at Ochilview the Warriors achieved an amazing comeback and although it didn’t end in a famous victory it will still live long in the memory of those that were there.

The early stages of the game gave little idea of what was going to happen with the first attempt at goal being in the 7^th minute when Kieran Millar saw a 20 yard effort comfortably saved by Rab Douglas. In the 14^th minute there was a string of corners for Forfar with the closest coming following a short corner that was played  to Iain Campbell whose drive from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar.

The best move of the game so far came in the 24^th minute when following a good build up Jason Scotland played  a lovely ball through the Forfar defence for Colin McMenamin and he tried to slide the ball past Douglas but the keeper saved with a superb save.

That looked to be a vital save as Forfar took the lead shortly afterwards in controversial fashion. A Stephen Stirling back pass was intercepted and when Scott Martin burst through the middle, Barclay in attempted to intercept slipped and when recovering was adjudged to tripped the striker. A penalty was awarded and the keeper sent off. This meant that Sean Robertson came off the bench for his debut and the 19 year olds first action was to pick the ball out of the net after Campbell converted the penalty. The keeper was tested a couple of times but proved to be up to the task before there was a claim at the other end for a penalty after Scotland burst through the middle before going down in a challenge. There looked to be contact but no award was forthcoming.

The second half started with Forfar looking to consolidate their lead and they went further ahead in the 51^st minute when Chris Templeman’s shot cross was deflected into Danny Denholm’s path and he converted from close range. Scotland saw another penalty claim turned down on the hour mark but possibly his momentum took him down. The visitors had a shot from Martin deflected wide in the next few minutes they made three changes to the team. This possibly affected their momentum as Stenhousemuir appeared to grow stronger as the game went on despite the numerical disadvantage. A powerful drive by Carlos Mazana was tipped over the bar by Douglas in the 73^rd minute. Five minutes later the ex-Scotland keeper was beaten though. A pinpoint cross by Jamie McCormack picked out McMenamin and his powerful header was too strong for the keeper. The keeper had to stretch to deny a similar result three minutes later. There was a touch of luck though when Kerr Hay’s effort was stopped by either the post or Robertson. The Warriors almost scored the equaliser a minute later when an Allan Cook shot squirmed through Douglas’s legs but the keeper recovered before it crossed the line. They did equalise in the 85^th minute when Mazana was fouled on the edge of the box and the referee deemed it to be on the line and awarded a penalty that Scotland duly converted. Forfar almost snatched a winner when Templeman headed over from only six yards out before McMenamin just failed to get on the end of a Cook cross in the last minute of normal time. In the end though a draw was the final result and Stenhousemuir will be the happier of the two clubs with the score.

Stenhousemuir –Barclay [so27], McCormack, Paterson [Mazana 66], Malcolm, Meechan, Stirling [S.Robertson 27], Gilhaney [b65], Millar [b43], McMenamin, Scotland [J.Robertson 90] and Cook. Subs not used – Murray, Henderson, Marenghi and Small.

Forfar Athletic – Douglas, Baxter [Black 70], Campbell, Nicoll, Rose, Hodge, Fotheringham [Young 69], Martin, Templeman, Swankie and Denholm  [Hay 73][b80]. Subs not used – Smith, Kennedy and King.

Referee – Euan Anderson             Assistants – Raymond Whyte and Ryan Oliver.