Match Report

Airdrie v Stenhousemuir at Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie on 28.3.15

SPFL Division One                           Att 722

Airdrie 2 [Prunty 32,65 pen] Stenhousemuir 1 [Grehan 81 ]

The Warriors saw captain Ross McMillan return for this game after injury but were missing Paul McMullan as he was playing for Scotland Under 19s and Colin McMenamin through suspension.  Martin Grehan, Gregor Fotheringham and Lee Gallacher came off the bench to start in the rearranged starting eleven with Jamie McCormack and Josh Watt dropping to the bench alongside Ryan Millar who had been recalled from Hurlford United and Rhys Craigie who was featuring in the first team squad for the first time after promising displays in the development squad.

The early stages of the game showed some promise with the first chance of the game coming in the tenth minute after a patient build up that ended with a Ross Meechan cross picking out Kris Faulds whose first time effort went just wide of the post. The home side had been slow to start but they showed that they could be a threat in the 14^th minute when Anthony Marenghi lost possession and the ball was threaded behind the Stenhousemuir defence who shot across goal and wide of the target. In the 18^th minute Alan Lithgow headed a Marenghi corner wide from close range though the Airdrie players were claiming for a foul that was not forthcoming. Shortly after this Prunty had another effort went wide.

the game progressed though it was the home side that took over and in the 32^nd minute Alan Lithgow had to make a great interception to deny Prunty once again after the ball had been given away cheaply. From the resultant corner though Airdrie took the lead and it was no surprise that it was Prunty who scoring firing a rebound into the net after Ciaran Summers had cleared a Marc Fitzpatrick effort off the line. A minute later it should have been two nil with the Stenhousemuir midfield all at sea it gave Scott Fraser the chance to pick out Fitzpatrick but his strike flew just past the post.  Stenhousemuir were now on the back foot but in a rare attack Meechan picked out Grehan in the middle who laid it back to Gallacher who hit a first time effort from the edge of the box just wide. It was Airdrie that ended the half strongly though and Fraser struck the post with a strike from 25 yards in the last minute of the half.

Airdrie remained on top after the resumption and in the 50^th minute Jordan Morton forced Greg Fleming into a fine save, and this was followed by a timely block by Ross McMillan to deny Ross Docherty. At the other end Andy McNeil made routine saves from a Meechan curler and a Marenghi free kick before Airdrie went two up in the 65^th minute. Gregor Fotheringham was adjudged to have tripped Chris O’Neil and Prunty converted the penalty. A double substitution was made just after this to try and get back into the game but Airdrie came closest when a Liam Lindsay header brought out a great stop by Fleming.  

This looked a vital save when Stenhousemuir scored in the 81^st minute when a long range Grehan strike went through McNeil and into the net. Three minutes later though the task was made harder when Ryan Millar was sent off for a foul on Paddy Boyle as he tried to retrieve the ball after losing possession. The decision was an extremely hard one as although he caught the player it didn’t look dangerous or have any malice in it.  With two minutes to go a short pass back by Lithgow put Fleming in danger but the keeper didn’t hesitate and in the clash with Prunty it was the Airdrie player who came off worst. It was a robust challenge but fair but there was relief when the referee didn’t heed the calls of the Airdrie players and fans for a dismissal. Although Stenhousemuir tried their best to get back into the game they were unable to do so before the final whistle blew in what was a very disappointing performance until the latter stages after a promising start.     

Airdrie – McNeil, Bain, P.Boyle, Docherty, O’Neil, Lindsay, Gray [Watt 87], Fitzpatrick, Prunty [Cadden 90], Fraser and Morton [J.Boyle 77]. Subs not used – Stewart, Richford, Ferguson and Wilson.

Stenhousemuir – Fleming, Meechan, Summers, Lithgow, McMillan, K.Millar [b84], Fotheringham [R.Millar 66][so 84], Faulds, Grehan, Gallacher [Sutherland 87] and Marenghi [Watt 66]. Subs not used – McCormack, Craigie, Duncan and Smith.

Referee – Mat Northcroft            Assistants – Ross Haswell and David Ingram