Welcome back to another edition of Warriors Weekly. Since we last spoke, our Women’s side kicked off their league campaign with a trip to Giffnock, our men’s side took on Stirling Albion in a local derby and a charity match was held at Ochilview Park. Read on to find out more.
The SPFL Trust Football Powered Podcast Episode 2 was released yesterday featuring 2 Warriors! Our CEO, Blair Cremlin, spoke on the podcast in regards to the club in the community whilst one of our Women’s Walking Football players, Nora Ramage also spoke to the podcast. Interested in listening to the full podcast? You can do so HERE!
Interested in joining the Women’s Walking Football? Check out the details below
Times are:
Monday evening 6.30-7.30pm BB centre at Carronvale
Thursday 12.30 – 1.30pm at Ochilview
Tea/coffee after each session for a chat and some banter. Once 5 a side courts are refurbished Monday evening will return to Ochilview.
Ladies over 40 welcome but anyone under 30 can come along but competitions are only for over 40s.
Email community@stenhousemuirfc.com for more information
GIFFNOCK SC vs Stenhousemuir FC
For the first league game of the season, Head coach Jack Cameron had 13 players available for the match
There were three debutants in the starting 11 as Player/Coach Toni Harkness started in goals, Clare Wilson started in defence and Trialist Zoë Richard-Campbell started in a more advanced midfield role.
They were joined by Jude Connolly, Lucy Sullivan and Rachel Ann Vickerman in defence, Leah Jones, Eirinn Maguire and Samantha Montgomery in midfield and Erin Wilson and Eva Ralston up front.
Both teams started right from the whistle and spent the first 10 minutes of the match battling for every ball. Giffnock were the only team to manage a chance in the opening exchange but their effort rolled past the post.
GOAL: Jude Connolly slipped a ball down the wing to Samantha Montgomery who went one on one with the keeper and made no mistakes. GIFFNOCK SC WOMEN 0-1 STENHOUSEMUIR WOMEN FC [Montgomery 20 minutes]
The game began to get a bit scrappy in the middle of the park with a couple of fouls and very few chances created.
Lucy Sullivan takes a knock to the face and the game is stopped for a few minutes as the ref sends both teams off for a water break.
The game resumes as Giffnock begin applying more pressure, managing to get a couple of chances and pinning the Warriors back in their own half.
Jude Connolly manages to break the press as she is closed down by the Giffnock left back, winning the ball and taking it a run down the wing. She manages to retain posession after a few tackles and places it into Montgomery who slashes it over the bar.
GOAL: Leah Jones feeds a wonderful ball down the right wing into Eirinn Maguire. Maguire takes it for a run before weighting a perfect cross into Eva Ralston. Ralston controls it down on her chest and pokes it into the bottom left corner. GIFFNOCK SC WOMEN 0-2 STENHOUSEMUIR WOMEN FC [Ralston 45 minutes]
The ref allows the game to kick off again but blows the whistle for half time a short while later with no further action of the half.
HALF TIME: Giffnock SC Women 0-2 STENHOUSEMUIR
No change for either side during the break.
Giffnock begin the half with some early pressure, winning a corner in the process.
GOAL: The Giffnock corner is floated into the box and headed clear but only as far as the Giffnock number 36, McLaren, who takes the ball down and fires into the top of the net, out of the reach of Harkness. GIFFNOCK SC WOMEN 1-2 STENHOUSEMUIR WOMEN FC [McLaren 47 minutes]
Straight from the kick off the Warriors get a chance to respond as Connolly takes a long throw in over the top of the Giffnock defence. Montgomery runs onto the end of it and manages to get a shot away but the keeper gets a touch on it and the ball rolls just past the post.
GOAL: A corner taken by Erin Wilson finds its way to the Trialist Zoë Richard-Campbell who makes no mistake and smashes it into the back of the net. A goal on her debut! GIFFNOCK SC WOMEN 1-3 STENHOUSEMUIR WOMEN FC [Richard-Campbell 51 minutes]
Giffnock seemed to struggle to get back into the match as they did not offer much for the next 10 minutes.
A heavy tackle by Connolly on the edge of the box concedes a Giffnock freekick on the edge of the box.
GOAL: From the freekick Cunningham fires into the top right corner for Giffnock. Questions being asked about a potential obstruction from the Giffnock forward who impeded the keeper but the ref gives the goal. GIFFNOCK SC WOMEN 2-3 STENHOUSEMUIR WOMEN FC [Cunningham 67 minutes]
That goal changed the momentum of the game as Giffnock now press hard to try and find an equaliser.
A few chances including another freekick from Giffnock end up going wide before the ref gives another water break.
After the break Jude Connolly finds herself picking up a yellow card for what initially looked like time wasting. The ref asked her to hurry up and take a throw in to which she remarked to a spectator “why, is he in a hurry or something”. Its unclear if the card was for descent or for time wasting.
Samantha Montgomery now finds herself in the referees book as she throws a tired shoulder into controlling the ball and it catches her elbow.
SUBSTITUTION: Jack Cameron decides to make an immediate change after the Montgomery yellow card. She was beginning to look tired. Chloe Pearson comes on to replace her for the last 10 minutes.
Giffnock really begin to amp up the pressure in their search for an equaliser. Stenny are beginning to look tired and every pass and tackle looks like its taking alot of energy.
The warriors manage to win a corner as they break the press and get themselves up the park. Erin Wilson fires it into the Trialist again but this time her looping shot is headed off the line.
Giffnock take the ball straight down the other end as Lucy Sullivan throws herself in to knock the ball away for a corner.
Stenny manage to clear the corner but find themselves under some sustained pressure for the next few minutes.
Ralston presses down the Giffnock centre back and wins a break of the ball. Maguire picks it up and runs down the wing before delivering a great low cross into Ralston. Ralston meets the cross and hits a looping shot which has the keeper scrambling before the ball hits the woodwork and ends up out of play.
A real team effort from the Warriors but Clare Wilson and Jude Connolly in particular are throwing their bodies on the line to get the ball clear and deny Giffnock any goal scoring opportunities in the final few minutes.
The ref has given almost 6 minutes extra time but it isn’t enough for Giffnock and the Warriors manage to hold on!
FULL TIME: GIFFNOCK SC WOMEN 2-3 STENHOUSEMUIR WOMEN FC
You can find highlights from Sunday’s match HERE!
WarriorsTV spoke with Jack Cameron and Eva Ralston after the match to gather their thoughts on the game. Click on their names to check out their respective interviews!
Before she scored in Sunday’s win, Samantha Montgormery signed on for the season ahead. She will be joined by a few new faces in Chloe Pearson, Clare Wilson and Nimi Ahira.
You can find the updated women’s squad and bios on each player HERE.
The side are back in action this Sunday as they welcome Dundee West to Ochilview Park. The Tayside team lost their opening game to Falkirk and will be looking to bounce back against another side from Central Scotland.
Admission to the game is free and will also be live streamed for those unable to make it. Get yourself along and back the Warriors this Sunday!
Stirling Albion FC vs Stenhousemuir FC
Swifty made 4 changes from the team the started last week’s defeat at Annan.
Dan Higgins comes in to replace Nicky Jamieson who has picked up a minor injury. Adam Corbett, Mikey Anderson and Tam Orr drop to the bench with Adam Brown, Will Sewell and Ross Forbes coming into the starting lineup.
Stirling Albion get the game started inside a blistering warm Forthbank Stadium.
GOAL: Stenhousemuir made the worst possible start when the ball dropped to Dale Carrick in the box and the big striker fired home inside the first minute. STIRLING ALBION 1-0 STENHOUSEMUIR [Carrick 1 minute]
RED CARD: Things went from bad to worse just a few moments later when Dan Higgins wrestled Dale Carrick to the ground as he was through on goal. The referee judged the defender to be denying a goal scoring opportunity and showed the red card.
SUBSTITUTION: The red card forces Swifty into an early change with Adam Brown being the sacrifice to make way for Nicky Jamieson.
With the goal and player advantage, Stirling simply controlled the game throughout the first half, taking their time and breaking forward when possible.
23 minutes in and the visitors have struggled to worry the home defence. The weather is making the player deficit even tougher. The referee does call for a water break after a foul on Will Sewell.
The Warriors look stronger after the break and have started to control the game a bit more.
32 minutes in and Stirling had the best chance to get the 2nd goal of the game. Jack Leitch picked up the ball on the edge of the box and drilled a shot on target, Brennan was on hand to make a good diving save though to stop Stirling from doubling their lead.
The home side had an even better chance on 36 minutes but for another world class save from Brennan.
And again. The keeper is keeping the Warriors in this game with a string of good saves.
However, it was Nicky Jamieson who almost got the game’s second by Currie easily collected the defender’s header on goal.
HALF TIME: STIRLING ALBION 1-0 STENHOUSEMUIR
SUBSTITUTION: Double chance at the break for The Warriors with Tam Orr and Euan O’Reilly replacing Ross Forbes and Craig Bryson.
The Warriors have started the 2nd half strong with a clear game plan to flood the Stirling defence.
And it almost worked in a few minutes. Ex-Warrior Robert Thomson had a wild swipe at Euan O’Reilly. Matty Yates stepped up to take the free kick, but couldn’t get his shot on target.
GOAL: It’s another quick start for the home side as the Warriors defence struggle to clear their lines and Robert Thomson pokes home from inside the 6 yard box. STIRLING ALBION 2-0 STENHOUSEMUIR [Thomson 51 minutes]
With Stenhousemuir so eager to get back into the game, they’ve been leaving themselves short in midfield and although the visitors can break quick, they’re struggling out of possession.
It was another smart save by Brennan that kept the score down as Stirling hold off and try and catch the visitors on the counter.
SUBSTITUTION: fourth change of the match with Adam Corbett replacing Mikey Miller at right back
64 minutes in and Stirling could find themselves lucky not to be down to 10 men. An awful challenge by Cummins only yielded a yellow card from the referee. In his anger at the challenge, Michael Moore also picked up a booking.
With 70 minutes played, the referee calls for a water break.
Stenhousemuir has struggled since the break with the temperature and the man deficit proving too difficult to overcome. Stirling are content to keep the ball and counter when Stenhousemuir push forward.
SUBSTITUTION: Final change for The Warriors as Niyah Joseph replaces Matty Yates on 78 minutes.
GOAL: Lucky break for the home side as the ball cannons off Dale Carrick who runs through on goal for Stirling’s third. STIRLING ALBION 3-0 STENHOUSEMUIR [Dale Carrick 81 minutes]
That was it as far of the game was concerned.
FULL TIME: STIRLING ALBION 3-0 STENHOUSEMUIR
A difficult afternoon for The Warriors who will have to pick themselves up next week for the visit of league leaders Dumbarton.
Was always going to be a tough afternoon in blistering heat, but by being a goal and player down inside 5 minutes, it proved to be an even tougher challenge.
Highlights from Saturday’s match can be found HERE.
WarriorsTV spoke with Stephen Swift after the match to gather his thoughts. You can listen to what he had to say HERE.
It’s a double header at Ochilview this weekend as the men’s team are also at home. We welcome the unbeaten league leaders Dumbarton, in what will be a tough match as the Warriors look to get back to winning ways.
Tickets can be bought on the day at the gate or you can purchase them in advance through the Fanbase app!
We are also in SPFL Trust Trophy 2nd Round action on Tuesday night as we make the long trip north to take on Elgin City. Kick off is at 7:45pm and admission is set at £5 for everyone. We hope to see you backing the Warriors!
