Stenhousemuir FC v Montrose

Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Stenhousemuir v Montrose at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 25.11.17

Ladbrokes SPFL League Two             Att 418

Stenhousemuir 0 Montrose 1 [Masson 15]

Stenhousemuir – Smith, Meechan [b10][Murray 72], M.Dunlop, R.Dunlop, Paterson [Scott 57], Ferry, McGuigan,  Paton, Longworth [McMenamin 72], Ferns and Donaldson. Subs not used – Gilmour, Allan, Marsh and McMinn.

Montrose – Fleming, Ballantyne [Webster 60], Steeves, Allan, Dillon, I.Campbell, Masson, Watson [Redman h/t], Johnston, Templeman [Fraser 67] and Callaghan. Subs not used – McLaren, Hay, Fotheringham and Rose.

Referee – Grant Irvine           Assistants – Stephen Mitchell and Daniel MacFarlane

With the Stirling Albion versus Peterhead game postponed it gave both teams a chance to advance up the league. In the end it was Montrose who reached the pinnacle with a Terry Masson goal putting the Links Park men top of the table.

Both sides went into the game with strong defences and it was always likely that it would be a tight affair. That is not to say there wasn’t chances at either end but were squandered either by poor finishing or top class goalkeeping.

The manner of the Montrose goal though will have disappointed the Stenhousemuir management as a cross from the right picked out out Chris Templeman who held off his marker before playing the ball out to the unmarked Terry Masson who had all the time in the world to convert the chance though Chris Smith almost managed to block it.

The best chance of the match fell to Stenhousemuir two minutes later when Mark McGuigan was picked out by Eddie Ferns but with the goal wide open he shot over the bar from only two yards out. It was a remarkable miss and most unlike the top scorer in the league who would convert that type of chance 99 times out of 100.

Masson was the main danger for the Gable Endies and he headed another opportunity just over and then flashed a shot just wide of the post. The Warriors had another opportunity in the latter stages of the half after a Ferns header was blocked but fell to Nicki Paterson who fired over from eight yards.

After the restart the Warriors came close though Michael Dunlop who created an opening through good footwork before shooting just wide.  In the closing stages Montrose were threatening on the counter attack and they had a couple of chances to extend the lead in the last ten minutes. Liam Callaghan missed a golden opportunity when he shot wide with only the keeper to beat from only eight yards out. In the 82^nd minute a Craig Johnston run saw him advance into the danger area and although he struck the shot well it was smothered by Chris Smith.

It was only really in the last couple of minutes that Stenhousemuir began to open up the Montrose defence who may have been tiring after their midweek exertions against Queen of the South. Eddie Ferns was denied by a stunning save from Allan Fleming who tipped his shot onto the bar and it was Ferns again who had the last chance when he met a loose ball but his strike went agonisingly wide.

The final whistle blew with Montrose leaving with all three points as once again a home league match ended in disappointment for Stenhousemuir. With Elgin City winning 5-1 against Berwick Rangers it meant that Stenhousemuir dropped out of the promotion play-offs