Match Report

Match Report

Heading into the game, Annan sat only 1 point behind league leaders Kelty having won 4 on the bounce, whereas the Warriors remained rooted to the bottom of the table with only 2 points.

The initial stages of the match were even, with both sides seeing their share of the ball without creating very much. It took until the 11^th minute for the first half chance to fall the Warrior’s way. A Graham shot from the edge of the box was deflected by an Annan block up into the air, where it spun off the head of Orr who was unable to keep his effort on target.

The first clear cut chance came in the 24^th minute as the home side were denied an opener only by some excellent goalkeeping from David Wilson. Annan managed to get in behind down their left hand side, before the ball was cut back to Johnston in the middle of the box. The attacker took one touch to control, before shooting low to the right, where Wilson was able to dive and get enough of a fingertip onto it to see it round the post.

Going into the second half with the stalemate still intact, the Warriors upped their game and nearly took the lead themselves in the 51^st minute. A Forbes free kick into the box was met by the head of Jamieson who knocked down for Corbett, however his diving header was tipped over the bar well by Fleming in the Annan goal.

Four minutes later and the Warriors did indeed take the lead through Orr. An Anderson long throw was headed back out to the midfielder who crossed into the box. The ball seemed to hit off Jamieson and fall inside the 6 yard box where Orr was the first to react, prodding the ball home from close range while under significant pressure.

The boys then doubled their advantage on the 81^st minute through the substitute Adam brown. His deflected shot found its way into the net after the ball was cut back by Thomson after the striker managed to beat three defenders down the right wing.

The Warriors could have been forgiven for thinking that by this stage they had done enough to secure the win, however Annan rallied in a late effort to get something from the game.

First Lowdon had a sensational strike from over 30 yards out in the 85^th minute tipped over well by Wilson, who was having a great game in between the sticks. Then, only one minute later, McCartney did give our hosts a lifeline by heading home from close range during the second phase from a corner kick.

Despite late pressure, the Warriors stood strong and were able to hold out until the final whistle to take all 3 points back up the road to Forth Valley! A terrific result for the boys, who move up to 8^th in the Cinch League 2 table.

Annan Athletic: G. Fleming, Steele, Douglas, Swinglehurst, Lowdon, Johnston, Moxon, Docherty, Wallace, Smith, Anderson

Substitutes: K. Fleming, McCartney, Goss, Hunter, Adamson, Purdue, Barnes, Birch

Stenhousemuir: Wilson, R. Lyon, Jamieson, Corbett, coll, Miller, Forbes, Anderson, Graham, Orr, Thomson

Substitutes: Tapping, Marshall, Brown, Tierney, Wedderburn, Hughes, Craig, O’Reilly, Crighton

Stephen Swift interview:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRNSzGKEMX8

Adam Brown interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c20_dKjv4DM