Match Report

Stenhousemuir v East Stirlingshire at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 6.7.13

Pre-season friendly

Stenhousemuir 3 [Kouider-Aissa 1, Gemmell 23, 68] East Stirlingshire 1 [Turner 69] on 6.7.13

The meeting between the local rivals started with a goal in the 50^th second when Salin Kouider-Aissa hit a blistering shot from 30 yards that gave Shire keeper Grant Hay no chance. The strike caught everyone out but was a glimpse of Salim’s shooting prowess. The Warriors continued to attack in the searing heat and they almost doubled in the lead in the 18^th minute when Sean Lynch and Kouider-Aissa set up John Gemmell at a short free kick and his effort struck the crossbar. If it had went in it would have been a controversial goal as the referee Gavin Duncan and the Shire players had disagreed in their interpretations about the keeper picking the ball up at a pass back.

Gemmell did not have long to wait though until he got a goal through as he eventually scored in the 23^rd minute when a Nicky Devlin cross from the right was just touched by Salim and Gemmell swivelled and shot into the net.

Stenhousemuir were forced into a substitution in the 36^th minute when Ross Brash was forced to leave the field through dehydration and eventually ended up in hospital. This surely cannot have happened at many Stenhousemuir games over the years.

Shortly after this the Shire had a golden chance to reduce the deficit when Max Wright found himself with only the keeper to beat after getting behind the home defence but his effort was well saved by Chris Smith.

The game was ebbing and flowing at the start of the second half and Kouider-Aissa looked as if he had scored his second when he met a Sean Lynch cross and steered it into the net. Celebrations were curtailed though as the effort was disallowed for offside though it was a marginal call at best.  The play transferred up the other end and Wright just failed with a well struck effort.

Stenhousemuir made another enforced substitution when Kevin McKinlay came off with a toe injury. Although not serious if was frustrating as this was his first game of the pre-season.

In the 68^th minute Stenhousemuir went three up in spectacular fashion with a scissor kick from Gemmell that flew into the net. To their credit the Shire did not give up and they scored within a minute when Graeme McGregor ran down the left flank and whipped in a cross that was met by Kevin Turner who dispatched it into the net.

He had another effort saved before the end but there was to be no further scoring with Stenhousemuir victorious by a 3-1 margin.

Both teams could take something out of the game with Stenhousemuir getting their first win with some quality goals. It was just a pity that Warriors TV was not there to capture the action. The game also saw the first appearance of Ross McNeil for the home side after his transfer from Rutherglen Glencairn Under 21s and he did not look out of place in his first senior game.

One word of caution in the report was the inability to read the Shire numbers on their jerseys and it may be inaccurate. The Shire website has their subs coming on at half time though I’m sure at least one was later in the game so I have not given times of subs for that reason    

Stenhousemuir – C.Smith, Devlin, Malone, McKinlay[Nimmo 55], McMillan [Lawson 75], Brash [Anderson 36], Lynch, Rowson, Gemmell Kouider-Aissa [McNeil 55], D.Smith. Subs not used – Shaw and Ferguson.

East Stirlingshire – Hay, McGregor[t], Maxwell, Miller, Bolochoweckyj [Cochrane][t],  McKechnie, Wright [Kelly], Greenhill, Quinn [Turner] , O’Donoghue and Glasgow [Tapping[t]. Subs not used – Gordon

Referee – Gavin Duncan                               Assistants – John McCrossan and Jim Burns.