Stenhousemuir FC v Stirling Albion

Stenhousemuir v Stirling Albion at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 17.04.10

Irn Bru Scottish Second Division         Att 783

Stenhousemuir 1 [Diack 61] Stirling Albion 3 [Graham 19, Forsyth 84, Russell 85]

 

Following the abject performance against Clyde everyone was looking for a much improved performance against Stirling Albion who although playing their third game in eight days were riding high on confidence and as a result were not showing the detrimental effect that could have affected their play in this game.

 

The game started well for Stenhousemuir and they really should have been two goals up in short time with Iain Diack having a couple of golden opportunities to open the scoring. The first in the 3rd minute saw him spin off his marker and get one on one with the keeper but he shaped up all wrong and managed to screw his effort wide of the post. Just after this he had another effort from an Iain Thomson cross but once again he missed the target from close range when it looked as if he should score. In all fairness to him though he missed these chances he did not go into hiding but continued to try and get the all important opening.

 

Eventually the first goal of the game came but it was at the wrong end of the pitch. A Chris Aitken corner being headed home by1Andy Graham after he peeled away from the keeper Chris McCluskey who failed to come for the ball and was as a consequence easily beaten. Stirling almost doubled their lead three minutes later when a Pat Scullion header hit his own post with McCluskey beaten.

 

In the 26^th minute a quick thrown by Scullion to Scott Dalziel caught Albion flat footed and his cross was met by Diack who struck a first time effort just over the bar.

 

 The Warriors took the initiative at the start of the second period and were finally rewarded for their endeavours when Diack headed home from close range after he pounced on a rebound after Scott Christie had saved a Kevin Motion header with a superb stop.

 

After this Stenhousemuir strived to get into the lead and as Stirling eventually began to tire slightly it looked as if the Warriors may secure at worst a share of the points. They failed to do this however through being punished once again for a basic mistake. Craig Molloy had run with the ball at his feet for at least 40 yards and with space opening up for the strikers he failed to pass the ball and was dispossessed. The Binos through Ross Forsyth made a counter attack and when the Warriors failed to clear the danger and the ball fell back into his path. His strike then took a deflection past McCluskey and into the net.

 

Stenhousemuir were stunned by this reverse and they had not got over it when the game was effectively finished when Iain Russell scored Stirling’s third goal. The effort from close range should have been disallowed for dangerous play but was allowed to stand.

 

Just before the end of the game the Warriors should have had a penalty when Scott Dalziel had his jersey pulled when going for the ball but once again dame fortune was not on the home team’s side and no award was forthcoming.

 

With the defeat the sixth in seven games the pressure is beginning to build up and certainly the confidence is going down when the team loses goals late on. However, the final destination of where the team is next season is still in the players own hands and the mistakes of the past need to be put aside for the forthcoming encounters.   

 

Stenhousemuir – McCluskey, Gibb [b21], S.Thomson, McLeod, Smith, Molloy, Scullion [b53], I.Thomson, Dalziel, Diack [Quinn 79] and Motion. Subs not used – Brand, Lyle, Love and Bennett

 

Stirling Albion – Christie, Graham, Forsyth [b84], Gibson, Page, Robertson, Taggart, Aitken, Mullen [McKenna 79], Russell and O’Brien [Colquhoun 74]. Subs not used – Murphy and Hogarth

 

Referee – Bobby Madden       Assistants – Lawrence Kerrigan and Paul Reid