Stenhousemuir FC v Real Kashmir

Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Stenhousemuir v Real Kashmir at Ochilview Park Stenhousemuir on 8.7.17

Pre-season friendly                Att 199

Stenhousemuir 6 [Longworth 15,17 pen, Scott 25, McGuigan 29,52,80] Real Kashmir 0

A historic occasion at Ochilview as the Warriors hosted Real Kashmir for the first ever open door game by a side from the Kashmir region of Indian controlled Kashmir abroad and probably the first team ever from India to play in Scotland. Real are a fairly new team only playing their first I-League Division Two game in 2016.

The game was arranged through their manager David Robertson whose son Mason played for Stenhousemuir last season. The Kasmiri team were scheduled to play Albion Rovers  on Monday and Hamilton Under 20s on Wednesday but due to paperwork problems they only arrived in Scotland late of Wednesday. They did eventually have a practice game against the Coatbridge side behind closed doors on Thursday night.

Stenhousemuir took the game to their opponents from the start with Harry Paton who was playing his first proper game making some probing passes. Thomas Halleran came close with a shot that drifted just wide before Jamie Longworth forced Shabir Sheikh into a save from a header. The keeper though was beaten a couple of minutes later when a Longworth shot hit the bar and went in off the unfortunate Suhail Ahmad.  In the 17^th minute Longworth scored his second goal when he passed the ball past the keeper into the bottom corner of the net.

Real Kashmir were struggling with the pace of the game in the early exchanges and it was no surprise when Stenhousemuir extended their lead with Martin [Jimmy] Scott heading home from close range after he was picked out by a Longworth cross. Incidentally this wouldn’t have been his first goal against a team from Indian League football as he had previously played for Salgaocar in Goa in the I-League.

It was soon 4-0 after the Warriors were awarded a penalty when Liyaqat Gul was adjudged to have fouled Longworth. Although it was probably a foul the award was in the soft category. Mark McGuigan converted the spot kick. In the last minute of the half Scott struck the post and the ball fell to McGuigan but good defensive work saw him crowded out before being cleared for a corner.

The second half started with Stenhousemuir still on the attack and McGugan headed just wide in the 48^th minute. He didn’t have long to wait though to get his second as he took a touch from a Mike Dunlop header to steady himself before tucking the ball home in the 52^nd minute. Seconds later Sheikh a strong save to deny Scott and the keeper brought off another fine save to tip a Mark Ferry shot round the post.

In the 65^th minute Lewis McMinn was called into action to save a free kick from Hanan Mir which was the first attempt on target by Real Kashmir.

In the 76^th minute a strong run by Ruaridh Donaldson deserved better but his shot went just wide of the target. Four minutes later McGuigan scored his hat trick when he scored from on the ground after he has been hindered by the keeper. The Warrior’s forward was subbed just afterwards.

There was no further scoring before the final whistle. Hopefully it could be a confidence booster for Stenhousemuir and that Real Kashmir who were well organised will learn from this as they develop as a team.

Stenhousemuir –Smith [McMinn 56], Meechan, Scott, R.Dunlop, M.Dunlop, Paton, Halleran, Longworth, Ferry, Donaldson and McGuigan [Ferns 81]. Subs not used – Sinclair, Gracie and Gilmour.

Real Kashmir – Shabir Sheikh, Mohammad Hammad, Suhail Ahmad [Basalat Javaid 30], Liyaqat Gul, Shahid Nazir [Ishafq Ahmad 56], Amer Rehman, Danish Farooq, Ubaid Haroon [Sameer Fayaz 56]Asrar Rehbar [Adnan Ayub 71], Shayik Rasool [Hanan Mir h/t] and Prem Kumar [Aqib Mushtaq 76]. Subs not used – Safiz Riyaz, Amir Hussain, Shazan Ali and Musaib Mushtaq.

Referee – Stewart Luke         Assistants – Daniel McFarlane and Tony Fullerton.