Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Brechin City at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 25.4.15

SPFL Division One            Att 577

Stenhousemuir 2 [Grehan 2, Lithgow 11] Brechin City 2 [A.Jackson 12,Trouten 19]

Stenhousemuir – Fleming, Meechan, Summers, Lithgow, McMillan, Hodge, McMullan, Faulds, McMenamin, Grehan [b75][so76] and Marenghi. Subs not used – McCormack, Fotheringham, Watt, Gallacher, Fotheringham, Watt, R.Millar and Moutinho.

Brechin City – Smith, McLean, Hamilton, McCormack, McNeil, Fusco, Trouten [b87], Molloy, A.Jackson, Masson [Tapping 76] and Barr. Subs not used – Ferguson, Thomson, S.Jackson, Durojouye and O’Neil.

Referee – Nick Walsh     Assistants – Ivan Stankovic and Graham Grainger.

The Warriors went into this game trying to get their first win in six games to put pressure on Ayr at the bottom end of the park whilst Brechin knew that they needed only a point to qualify for the promotion play-offs. The home side were missing Kieran Millar through illness but Bryan Hodge and Colin McMenamin returned to the starting eleven after being on the bench last week.

The home side support was boosted by a healthy contingent from England and Norway with the Barlow [Chesterfield] boys and Sheffield supporters being prominent. It looked as if they had a treat in store when the Warriors took the game by the scruff of the neck at the start of the game. Stenhousemuir showed their intent when Graeme Smith was tested by a curling effort in the first minute of the game. From the resultant short corner Brechin were caught napping and Paul McMullan picked out Martin Grehan at the back post to head home after only two minutes. This was followed by a swift move involving McMullan, Kris Faulds and Ross Meechan that ended with a McMullan shot being blocked before he fired the rebound over the bar.

It wasn’t long though before Stenhousemuir extended their lead going two up in the 11^th minute. A free kick whipped in by Anthony Marenghi was headed home by the deftest of touches by Alan Lithgow.

There was little time to celebrate though as Brechin scored straight from the kick off with Bobby Barr running down the Brechin right flank before picking out the unmarked Andy Jackson in the middle. As expected he made no mistake in that position swivelling before dispatching the ball into the net.

Unbelievably it was all square again after 20 minutes. A poor clearance by Lithgow fell to Barr, this time on the left and he took full advantage to play a pass into the unguarded area of the box for Alan Trouten who scored what seems to be his customary goal against the Warriors.

After that the game settled down a bit and although both teams had half chances there always seemed to be a touch too much, or just failing to get on the end of a pass.  McMullan did test Graeme Smith with a shot from 20 yards that the keeper punched clear in the 25^th minute but they were rarely troubled for the rest of the half.

Stenhousemuir started the second half well though not as well as the first and it took a while for either keeper to be called into action. The first time was when Smith reacted quickly to gather from McMullan who had taken a heavy touch after 55 minutes. The keeper was beaten by a rasping shot by McMullan in the 70^th minute but unfortunately for the Warriors contingent the effort went the wrong side of the post.

Stenhousemuir’s chances of victory were diminished when they were reduced in numbers in the 76^th minute afer Martin Grehan received two cautions in the space of a minute. The first was for dissent and just seconds later he appeared to catch Paul McLean when both jumped up for an aerial ball.

As the game progressed Brechin looked content to secure the all-important point that put them into the promotion play-offs. With Ayr winning against Stirling Albion Stenhousemuir dropped back into the relegation play offs.