3Match Report
Berwick Rangers 0
Stenhousemuir 3 [Thom 23, Diack 55, Dalziel 84]
After the shambles the previous week John Coughlin made a number of changes to the starting line up for this game with Gary Thom, Willie Lyle, Jordan Smith and Iain Diack all coming back into the side after being out through various reasons.. This meant that the captain’s armband was worn by Jordan Smith against his old club.
The game started with the Warriors playing a fluid formation that was flexible on the needs at a particular time and in the main this seemed to work well whether it be a three man or four man defence.
It was a positive start to the game and Love fired over in 7 minutes then Diack just failed by inches to get a touch to a Love cross. Kevin Motion came closest to opening the scoring though in the 11th minute when he thundered in a shot from 20 yards that Jamie Barclay did well to tip just over.
Berwick were struggling to get into the game but almost took the lead in the 15th minute when a Steven Bonar cross was met by Fraser McLaren but his header was poor and going off target but fell to David Greenhill who shot wide.
After this it was back to Stenhousemuir looking the more likely to score and Gary Thom saw a header go just over. Four minutes later though he had put the Warriors ahead heading home a Craig Molloy corner taking advantage of a slip by Barclay as he came off his line, but he may have scored anyway but this made it easier.
Willie Lyle had an opportunity to double the lead but shot wide from a good position before Berwick threatened again when a Stuart Callaghan inswinger was met by Jamie Ewart but wide of the target though Scott Bennett looked to have been fouled.
As the half ended though Stenhousemuir were the stronger team though and Alan Brazil headed over from six yards out.
There has always been a worry when a team goes into the interval with a slim lead that should have been more, what will happen in the second period and at times the Warriors have been slow to get back into a rhythm after the resumption. This time though, the Warriors started the half brightly and Iain Diack had an overhead kick saved by Barclay in the first minute. Though there was no real power in the effort it set the tone for the second half.
Craig Molloy was booked for simulation in the 51st minute despite looking to have been fouled but his effort to try and fall in the box probably did not help. The inconsistency of referee Colin Brown was highlighted a few minutes later when a Berwick player tumbled to the ground inside the box. The referee had to either to give a penalty or book the player and in the end done neither.
Stenhousemuir extended their lead in the 55th minute of the game when a Molloy free kick was headed back across goal by Alan Brazil into the danger area and Iain Diack pounced to hook the ball into the net for a merited goal against his former club.
After this apart from one scare when Chris Anderson fired wide for the home side following a quick free kick it was Stenhousemuir who looked the more likely to score. They should have had a penalty in the 83rd minute when a Berwick defender almost ripped the jersey off Scott Dalziel in the box as the striker ran through, but no award was forthcoming or expected after a handball and previous blatant foul that should have resulted in penalties had also been turned down.
Any doubts about a nervous end to the game were dispelled in the 84th minute when substitute Scott Dalziel rounded off a fine flowing move by heading the ball into an empty net from close range after being picked out by a Willie Lyle cross.
The final score was no more than the Warriors merited on the day as they looked the hungrier side throughout the game as they showed their desire to get all three points whilst at times Berwick looked as if they could not wait for their season to finish
As a consequence of this result and the Forfar victory over Annan it means that all three clubs are on level points with three games remaining as they fight for the final play-off spot. The good news for the Warriors is that they destiny is now in their own hands as they have both teams to play and that if they win their last three games they will secure that spot. The bad news is that the Warriors have not managed to gather back to back victories since the end of September when they actually had a five game winning sequence.
One good thing to come from this game was that everyone concerned seemed to be that everyone received a boost by the vote of confidence given to the manager last week by the board and that could be an astute move on their behalf. The work rate of the entire team was first class and they know that if they can keep this up they will have a chance to get into the play-offs then who knows what could happen.
Berwick Rangers – Barclay, Lennox, Bonar, Ewart, Horn, Callaghan, Mearns [Chris Anderson 62], McMenamin, Hampshire [Little 69], McLaren [Gribben 62] and D.Greenhill.. Subs not used – Lumsden and McGurk.
Stenhousemuir – Bennett, Lyle, Reid, Thom. Smith, McLeod, Love [Thomson 82], Molloy [b51 ], Diack [Stirling 87], Brazil [Dalziel 82] and Motion. Subs not used – Tyrrell and Renton
Referee – Colin Brown
Assistants – James Bee and Paul Reid
