Match Report

MATCH REPORT
Stranraer v Stenhousemuir at Stair Park, Stranraer on 26.02.19
SPFL Ladbrokes League One Att 219
Stranraer 1 [D.Smith 45+12] Stenhousemuir 1 [Duthie 45+7]

Stranraer – Currie, Brownlie, D.Smith,Hamill, Cummins, McManus, Turner [b81], McCann [b47], Anderson [Vitoria 64], Elliott [b62][O’Keefe 71] and Cameron Subs not used – Avci, McDonald, Lamont, and McColm.

Stenhousemuir – Smith, Reid [b45], Marsh, Ferry [b60] , McGuigan [b55], Duthie, Cook [Dickson 85], Munro, Dingwall [Donaldson 70], McBrearty. and Hurst Subs not used – Halleran, Gibbons, Watters and McMinn.

Referee – Lloyd Wilson Assistants – Brian Templeton and David Dunne.

This was the third time that the teams had tried to play the game after two postponements, the second called off due to flooding whilst Stenhousemuir were on their road to Stranraer. The Warriors made one change to the starting eleven from the defeat at Forfar on the Saturday with Ruaridh Donaldson dropping to the bench for the first time this season and Conner Duthie starting.

The Stranraer groundsman had worked hard to drain the pitch as could be seen by the slits made for drainage and the travelling group were just happy to get the fixture fulfilled. The game itself was fairly mundane in nature but did have a couple of talking points that saw it attract more media attention that normal.

The first talking point was the injury to the assistant referee Brian Templeton who pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury after only 9 minutes. The call went out for a replacement and there was a lengthy delay to the game. In fact the first half was actually 57 minutes long. The new assistant was known to the referee Lloyd Wilson rather than a supporter.

This delay didn’t help the flow of the game but as the game progressed the Warriors looked the more threatening with Duthie being heavily involved. Indeed he almost opened the scoring in the 36th minute when Alan Cook and Mark McGuigan combined but Duthie was denied when Max Currie saved with his legs. With two minutes of regulation time left Graeme Smith came to Stenhousemuir’s rescue with a save at point blank range from Liam Watt.

McGuigan then had an effort saved before the first goal eventually came in the 7th minute of added time. A cross was deflected into the path of Duthie who composed himself and took the time to get on his favoured foot to steer the ball into the net.

The Warriors, however were unable to see the game out to the half time interval. Stranraer had struck the bar through a Innes Cameron header before they eventually equalised in the 12th minute of added time. The goal which must be a candidate for the latest goal in the SPFL was the first of the season by David Smith though there was a suggestion that his effort from the left flank took a slight deflection off a Stenhousemuir player on the way to the net.

In the second period the best chance for the visitors came in the 64th minute when a poor pass by a Stranraer defender went straight to Mark McGuigan. He ran forward but delayed his pass to Greg Hurst too long and the danger was averted. If he had been quicker either Hurst or himself would have had a great opportunity to score.

In the latter stages of the game Stranraer looked the stronger team and may have snatched victory in the last minute when Joao Vitoria headed just wide of the target. In the end though the spoils were shared which was probably a fair result on what was a strange night football wise which was watched by only 219 brave souls including only a handful of Stenhousemuir supporters.