Forfar Athletic v Stenhousemuir at Station Park, Forfar on 12.4.11

Irn Bru Scottish Second Division               Att 347

Forfar Athletic 2 [Templeman 36, Dow 45] Stenhousemuir 0

 

For the second time this month the Warriors travelled to Forfar for a league match against the Loons. In the previous game the points were shared but unfortunately in this game it was the home side that were victorious. A result that means that Stenhousemuir are deeply embedded in a play- off place at the wrong end of the table as they are 5 points below Alloa and have now played the same number of games.

 

There were several changes to the squad for this game with Ally Brown returning in goals for the suspended Chris McCluskey, whilst Michael Devlin returned from suspension and Simon Lynch led the attack.

 

Forfar almost took the lead in the 7^th minute when Chris Templeman’s header from Ryan Dow was stopped with a one handed save from Brown. At the other end Grant Anderson had an attempt wide of the target , but the majority of the play was to be at the other end of the pitch.

 

Forfar will feel that they should have taken the lead in the 15^th minute when an unmarked Graeme Gibson received the ball from Dale Hilson but the ex-Warrior got the ball tangled under his feet and Brown rescued the situation for Stenhousemuir.

 

The Angus side came even closer to opening the scoring in the 27^th minute when a Michael Bolochoweckyj saw a header cleared off the line by Brian Gilmour with Brown beaten.

 

At the other end Neil Duffy the Forfar keeper was rarely called upon but he had a scare of his own in the 33^rd minute making when a poor kick out fell to Lynch and the Warrior looked to be fouled by a defender just as he was in the act of shooting but all pleas for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

 

Three minutes later Forfar took the lead when Dow’s cross was met by Templeman who netted with a well placed header that Brown had no chance of stopping.

 

If that setback was bad enough for Stenhousemuir worse was to follow before the interval. Michael Devlin was injured in a collision at a Warrior’s corner and was unable to resume being subbed before half time by Michael Hunter. Whilst the Warriors were temporarily down to ten men Forfar extended their lead when Dow and Hilson combined for Dow to score after Dow was able to progress through the middle totally unhindered.

 

Forfar will certainly not be a place that Devlin will forget in a hurry as he was harshly sent off in the first encounter and injured in the second. His injury meant that Thomson dropped back into defence with Hunter taking up a midfield role.

 

The second period did see the Warriors create more chances and Lynch should have done better when he got behind the Forfar defence but lacked composure at the crucial time and screwed his effort wide of the post. A couple of Stevie Murray crosses from the right also caused problems but Hunter’s headed effort that drifted wide in the 68^th minute was the closest that Stenhousemuir came to testing the keeper.

 

A double substitution that brought on Alex Williams who had been missing through injury, and Stuart Love for his debut after stepping up from the under 19s, failed to have an impact of the game as they failed to get any sort of service at all.

 

Indeed it was at the other end that the nearest thing to a goal arose. Ryan Dow’s curling shot was tipped onto the bar by Brown then bounced on the bar before going out in the 78^th minute. Two minutes later Forfar were denied a penalty when Scott Gibb handled in the box and it looked a clear cut decision as he appeared to move arm to ball but no award was forthcoming in what was the only bit of luck Stenhousemuir had all night.

 

In the end Forfar deserved their victory against a punch less Stenhousemuir side who failed to get a shot on target all night and this must be a worry as they are coming into the later end of the league campaign

 

Forfar Athletic – Duffy, Ross, I.Campbell, McCulloch, Bolochoweckyj, Mowat, Fotheringham, Templeman, Gibson [R.Campbell 85], Hilson [Deasley 85] and Dow [Brady 89]. Subs not used – Bishop and Dobbie

 

Stenhousemuir – Brown, Lyle, Dickson, Gibb, Devlin [Hunter 45], I.Thomson, Anderson, Gilmour [Love 73], Lynch [Williams 73], Paton and Murray. Subs not used – McLennan and Sloan

 

Referee – John Beaton     Assistants – Stephen Allan and Cammy McKay