Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Berwick Rangers at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 3.11.12

William Hill Scottish Cup Third Round                       Att 439

Stenhousemuir                 1 [Kean 77] Berwick Rangers [Currie 32]

Stenhousemuir – R.Thomson,Ross, Dickson [Rodgers 58][b90], McKinlay [b34][so 83], O’Grady [b47], Hodge [b86], Ferguson, Paton [Smith h/t], Gemmell, Kean and C.Anderson [b41] [I.Thomson 53][b61]. Subs not used – Brash and Reidford

Berwick Rangers – Bejaoui, Jacobs, Hoskins, Brydon, Townsley [b66], Currie, Notman, Gray, Lavery [Ferguson 84], McLaren [Noble 45] and McDonald. Subs not used – Janczyk, McLean, and McCaldon.

Referee – Paul Robertson            Assistants – Brian Templeton and Frank Stokoe

The Warriors came into this game on the back of a humiliating defeat at the hands of Brechin and in the early stages it looked as if they had got over that game as they took the game to Berwick albeit they lacked the real penetration to make their play tell. The closest that they came to opening the scoring came in the 15^th minute through Jamie O’Grady who was making his first team debut. The 18 year old tested Youssef Bejaoui who made a fine one handed save to prevent the first goal. This was followed shortly afterwards by a John Gemmell free kick that flew just over the bar. The striker then just failed to get on the end of a Craig Anderson cross after he had started the move with a clever back heel.

It was anything but one way traffic though and Berwick’s Steven Notman had brought out a save from Robbie Thomson with a shot from just outside the box in the middle of the Stenhousemuir attacks. Berwick were always looking dangerous going forwards though it looked as if it would be from a set piece that the deadlock would be broken and that proved to be the case when Berwick took the lead in the 32^nd minute. Berwick were awarded a conrtroversial free kick when Sean Dickson was adjudged to have committed a foul. Lee Currie lined up the kick on the right hand edge of the box and fired in a powerful drive past a despairing Robbie Thomson.

Stenhousemuir did have a couple of chances to get back into the game, but it was the visitors who looked the more likely to score as the game progressed. The home side were showing nervousness in their play that meant that they were vulnerable any time that Berwick had the ball and at the same time rarely put an attacking move together themselves. Indeed Berwick did have a number of chances to put the result beyond doubt and were either denied by decent goalkeeping from Robbie Thomson or poor finishing. The closest that Berwick came being from another Lee Currie free kick that was tipped over and a Ross Gray strike that Thomson saved one handed. 

Stenhousemuir eventually equalised in the 77^th minute much against the run of play in one of their few attacks Stewart Kean fired home after Berwick failed to clear their lines following an Andy Rodgers blocked shot.

Any momentum that Stenhousemuir may have gained from this goal came to a halt when Kevin McKinlay was dismissed for a second booking both of which seemed to be fairly harsh. As a consequence the Warriors were to be on the back foot for the remainder of the game apart from when Kean had another effort flash just wide .

The final whistle blew with the scores level and this means that both sides have to play once again in a replay at Shielfield. The Warriors though will be grateful that they live to fight another day given the fact that Berwick could and should have progressed to the next round.