Stenhousemuir v Forfar Athletic at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 18.09.10

Irn Bru Scottish Second Division              Att 522

Stenhousemuir 3 [Quinn 4, 69, Scullion 82] Forfar Athletic 0

 

Stenhousemuir made several changes to the starting eleven from last weeks game at Dumbarton with several players missing out through either injury, illness  or change in tactics. Returning to the first team were Willie Lyle from suspension with Pat Scullion and Kevin Motion in the heart of the midfield and Paul Quinn returning to the forward line.

 

The Warriors started the game brightly and they took the lead in the 4^th minute of the game when Scott Dalziel turned and created space for himself before crossing to Quinn and his first time effort beat the despairing Paul Gallacher.

This was the start that the Warriors were looking for and they almost doubled their lead moments later when Quinn was just unable to get on the end of a Grant Anderson cross.

 

Forfar have a reputation of being useful at set poays and the Warrior’s defenders were careful throughout the first half not to give them chances in the danger areas of the pitch and maintained a solid force with the back three giving no quarter whilst Willie Lyle was able to keep Brian Deasley quiet as well. With Ally Brown only having to be alert to any potential danger rather than actually face it the chances were all at the other end of the field with Anderson having a header wide and Quinn being thwarted by a timely tackle by Jamie Bishop just as the striker was about to shoot.

 

The second half continued with Forfar struggling to get back nito the game though it took a good intercepted header by Jordan Smith to keep Forfar from getting a chance to get back on level terms

 

At the other end of the pitch Gallacher was forced into a save from another Paul Quinn effort after being played through by Lyle.

 

Forfar rung the changes to try and change the game and made a triple substitution in the 61^st minute and it almost paid dividends straight away when Dale Hilson set up Ross Campbell but the usually deadly striker missed the target from close range despite being unmarked. This effort in 67 minutes was actually Forfar’s first attempt on goal in the match. A couple of minutes later the Loons were punished for this miss when Scott Dalziel once more combined with Quinn for the latter to score his second goal from close range. The home side went three up in the 72^nd minute when Scullion finished in style from the end of the box.

 

Forfar did eventually force Ally Brown into a save when he scooped a Hilson effort round the post. Any thoughts of a comeback though were effectively ended in the 80^th minute when Paul Lunan was dismissed for a lunging tackle on Kevin Motion and in the subsequent melee that arose both of the Campbell brothers, Ross and Ian, as well as Motion were cautioned.

Before the resumption Dalziel was subbed with his replacement Mark Archdeacon making his debut as a trialist for the club.

 

There were no further incidents before the final whistle blew and the Warriors left the pitch deserved victors with everyone having put in a fine shift.  

 

Stenhousemuir – Brown, Lyle, Gibb, Thom, Smith, I.Thomson, Anderson [Clark 72], Scullion, Dalziel [Archdeacon 80][t], Quinn and Motion [b80]. Subs not used – Stirling, Murray and McLennan

 

Forfar Athletic – Gallacher, Lunan [so 80], McCulloch, Bishop, Tod, I.Campbell [b80], M.Fotheringham, Mowat [Sellars 61], Templeman [b5] [R.Campbell 61][b80], Deasley and G.Gibson [Hilson 61. Subs not used – McLean and Bolochweckyj

 

Referee – Crawford Allan    Assistants – Graham Chambers and Graham McNellie