Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Airdrieonians at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 21.2.15

SPFL Division One             Att 524

Stenhousemuir 0 Airdrieonians 2 [Prunty 38,58]

Stenhousemuir – Fleming, McCormack, Summers, Lithgow, McMillan, Hodge, McMullan, K.Millar [Faulds 65], McMenamin, Grehan [Sutherland 81] and Watt [Marenghi 65]. Subs not used – Meechan, Gallacher, Smith and Fotheringham.

Airdrieonians – McNeil, Bain, P.Doyle, Gilfillan [b70], Gasparotto, Lindsay, Docherty, Fitzpatrick, Lister, Fraser [Watt 75] and Prunty. Subs not used – J.Boyle, Gray, Morton, Ferguson, Blockley, and Stewart.

Referee – Andrew Dallas Assistants – Sean Carr and Gavin Thomson

There were two changes to the starting eleven from the side that had lost out to a very late goal at Dunfermline the previous week with Kieran Millar and Jamie McCormack returning from suspension in what was Brown Ferguson’s first game in charge this season at Ochilview.

Despite the Dunfermline loss there was an air of optimism after a fighting performance and it was hoped that the team would be able to carry that forward into this game if not the result. Certainly the Warriors had the better of the early exchanges though Greg Fleming had to make a couple of routine saves. In the 13^th minute a run and cross by Ciaran Summers was forced out for a corner and when it was swung in Alan Lithgow’s header was cleared off the line.

The home side were extremely unlucky not to score in the 25^th minute when Paul McMullan fired in a shot that looked as if it would curl in at the back post but it then took a deflection off Liam Lindsay and Andrew McNeil had to bring off a brilliant reaction stop to keep the score level.

There was a nervousness in the Stenhousemuir ranks when Fleming dived to clear a Jim Lister cross and a comedy of errors ensued before the ball was eventually fired wide of the goal. In the 36^th minute Fleming came out of his box to clear and his kick fell to Ross Docherty 45 yards out and he showed vision to fire the ball goalwards and Fleming had to scramble back to just tip the ball over the bar. Airdrie were now on top and they took the lead two minutes later. Once again the ball wasn’t cleared properly from a Paddy Boyle cross from the left with Alan Lithgow ‘s interception falling to Scott Fraser and his cross cum shot fell to Bryan Prunty who showed his predatory nature by prodding the ball into the net.

Colin McMenamin shot wide after the restart and at the other end another Doyle cross found no takers before Docherty saw a header saved by Fleming. McMullan then curled an effort wide as the home side tried to get on level terms. However, the next and deciding goal came in the 58^th minute with Prunty once again being the marksman. The goal was simple in execution and the ease with how it was scored would worry Brown Ferguson. A kick up the park by the Airdrie keeper was headed by a midfielder behind the home defence for Lister and he picked out Prunty at the back post to slide home. Airdrie then had a penalty claim turned down when Lister’s shot appeared to be handled by Ross McMillan but no award was forthcoming.

Stenhousemuir failed to capitalise on this let off though and the game meandered towards a close as the home side failed to get to grips with the game. Craig Sutherland came closest to getting a goal back with efforts in the 81^st minute that curled wide and a stoppage time strike that was cleared by Paddy Boyle.

All in all this was a strangely subdued performance after the fight and effort of the previous week with a palpable lack of confidence once they went into arrears. They will definitely need to improve on this or at best they will be in the relegation play-offs.