Stenhousemuir Women 4-1 Falkirk Women

Scottish Women’s League One

Ochilview Park

21.01.24

Stenhousemuir were dominant throughout as they took home all three points in Sunday’s derby day victory over Falkirk.

The Warriors got straight back to winning ways after last week’s cup exit as they cruised by rivals in Sunday afternoon’s Scottish League One tie.

Both teams came into the match level on points in League One which set the stage for an exciting match at Ochilview.

And the home side came out all guns blazing in an exceptional first-half performance.

The Warriors didn’t give the visitors a sniff as they pressed Falkirk high from the get-go.

Their persistence paid off on the quarter-hour mark as Amy McLarty stayed alert when the Falkirk defence assumed the ball was out of play, she drove into the box and fired one into the far-right corner from a tight angle. Some finish!

Only one minute later, Lucia Martinez caught the away defence sleeping and found herself through on goal and slotted the ball into the left-hand corner to put Stenhousemuir two goals up.

Falkirk really struggled to get into the game today with their best chance being direct from a free kick that clipped the top of the bar.

But the Warriors weren’t done with the half yet as a scramble from a corner led to the ball falling at Megan French’s feet who guided the ball in to make it three.

Chants of “Stenny, Stenny, what’s the score”? from the Falkirk support were looking pretty silly now.

As the second half started, it was more of the same.

Just five minutes into the game, centre-half Rachel Vickerman beautifully headed the ball in from an Amy McLarty corner as the home side started to run away with the game.

And just a couple of minutes later it was like déjà vu. Vickerman again, got on the end of a McLarty corner and headed home to put the Warrior’s five goals to the good against their local rivals.

A fuller substitution bench than recently due to injuries meant Stenhousemuir was able to introduce some fresh legs to see the match off and give the stars on the pitch a well-needed rest.

As the game was nearing a climax, Falkirk found themselves through a couple of times but fantastic last-ditch challenges from Connolly and Vickerman made sure that the clean sheet was staying intact.

The final whistle blew, and it was a dominant derby day display from the Warriors as they moved up to fourth in the table.

Line-ups-

Stenhousemuir | R Alexander, J Connolly ©, R Vickerman, L Jones [E Meaney 77’], E Ralston, E Maguire [J Cawood 66’], M French, A McLarty [e Eadie ‘77], P Adebo [J Campbell 66’], L Martinez [E Murray 72’], L Smith

Substitutes not used | L Sullivan

Goals | Mclarty [15’], Martinez [16’], French [34’] Vickerman [51’, 54’]

Bookings |

Falkirk| R Pirie, L Shaw, I Bridges, L Simmons, V Wood, S Mactaggart, E Roberts, K Gilbert, R O’Neill [A Leneathen 55’], D Donegan, E Sludden [H Templeton 55’]

Substitutes not used | T Johnston, E Stewart

Goals |

Bookings |  

Match report by Adam Khanna