Match Report

Peterhead v Stenhousemuir at Balmoor Stadium, Peterhead on 8.8.15

Ladbrokes League Division One                  Att 530

Peterhead 2[McAllister 61 pen, Brown 74] Stenhousemuir 2[Murray 3, Smith 9]

Peterhead – Smith, Blockley [Ferris 65], Baptie [Rodgers 60], Strachan, Gilchrist, Dzierzawski, Stevenson [b82], Brown, McAllister [b89], Sutherland and Riley [McIntosh 75].Subs not used – Jarvie, Redman, Adams and Lawrence.

Stenhousemuir – Barclay, Meechan [b80], Summers, Malcolm [b39][so51], Murray, Millar, Robertson, Stirling [b28], McMenamin [McShane 88][b90], Smith [McCormack 53][b60]and Cook [Henderson 69]. Subs not used– Shaw, Martinez, McCroary and Eddington

Referee – George Salmond           Assistants – David McKniff and Willie Ferguson

The Warriors got off to the best of starts in this game taking the lead in only the third minute. Good work by Alan Smith pressurising a defender forced a corner which ended with Euan Murray heading home an Alan Cook cross. In the ninth minute the lead was extended when Smith this time was the scorer when he fired home at the back post after Peterhead failed to cut out a cross from the left.

With a blustery wind causing problems for both sides there was rarely a rhythm to the game though the Warriors were always the more constructive in their play. They could have went three up in the 35th  minute when Graeme Smith did exceptionally well to tip a Colin McMenamin drive round the post. It wasn’t a one sided affair, though Jamie Barclay hadn’t much to do apart from a save in the first 20 seconds of the game when Stuart Malcolm almost diverted a cross into his own net.

The half time whistle blew with the visitors two up but they knew it could be a difficult second period. This turned out to be the case but it is fair to say that Peterhead were given a helping hand by the Warriors. The problems started when Stuart Malcolm was sent off for a second caution when he misjudged a tackle. The defence was reshaped after this with Ross Meechan moving into central defence and Jamie McCormack coming on to take the right back slot. McCormack didn’t have the best of starts though as he gave away a penalty in the 61^st minute when he pushed Shane Sutherland in the back. Rory McAllister converted the spot kick to give Peterhead a lifeline. After this it was backs to the wall stuff for Stenhousemuir who reinforced the central defence by bringing Liam Henderson into the fray. Before the play had settled back down though the home side were level. An Andy Rodgers cross was misjudged and fell to Jordon Brown who took full advantage to fire home from close range. A minute later Graeme Smith did well to keep the game level after good work by Colin McMenamin. Most of the play however was at the other end and Jamie Barclay plucked a long range effort from Jamie Stevenson out of the air.

In the end the Warriors held on for what could prove to be a valuable point at the end of the season and although they will have been disappointed at losing a two goal lead they would have been able to take a number of positives from the game as well.