Match Report

MATCH REPORTS
Stenhousemuir v Cowdenbeath at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 27.07.19
Betfred Cup Section A Att 262
Stenhousemuir 2 [McGuigan 33, Todd-og 85] Cowdenbeath 0

Stenhousemuir – Smith [b4], McIlduff, Marsh, Dykes [b73], McGuigan [Anderson 90], Hopkirk, Cook [b36], McLaughlin, M.Munro [b76], Luke [Scullion 65] and A.Munro. Subs not used – Halleran, Watters, Daramola and Marley.
Cowdenbeath – Dabrowski, Pyper [Swann 83], Valentine, Todd, Barr, Miller [Mullen 83], Cox [b4], Buchanan, Taylor, Thomas and Allan [b38]. Subs not used – Sheerin, Sneddon, Connolly, Herd and Glass.

Referee – David Dickinson Assistants – Ross Haswell and Elliott Husband-Powton

There were a few interesting elements leading up to this game the first that Stenhousemuir had played against another team from League Two. It was always going of note to see how the team would perform as well after the rigours of the Hearts game on the Wednesday previous.

The Warriors made two changes from that game one tactical and one through necessity as Jamie McKernon wasn’t fit to play whilst Luke Scullion dropped to the bench. Their replacements were Brandon Luke making his first start for the club and Dylan Dykes who was making his debut after signing on loan from Morton.

Cowdenbeath started the game on top and Jordan Allan rattled the crossbar in the second minute of the game. Other attempts in the opening exchanges saw Graeme Smith save from Robbie Buchanan and David Cox with the latter being a fine block.

The early exchanges also gave an indication of the feisty or competitive nature of the game with both Smith and Cox booked after an altercation in the fourth minute.

Gradually the home side settled down and began to create chances for themselves with Alan Cook having a couple of strikes in quick succession and Mark McGuigan also striving to get the first goal though it took a while for him to adjust his radar.

Eventually though the deadlock was broken and it was Stenhousemuir that went in front. A Cook ball over the top of the Cowdenbeath defence was met by McGuigan and despite the efforts by Jamie Todd to stop him by any means necessary the striker stayed strong and tucked the ball into the net.

Kevin Dabrowski who has been a steadying influence on Cowdenbeath was to have a touch of the jitters in the second half and was lucky not to concede. A dropped cross could have been costly but Luke hadn’t anticipated the chance and this was swiftly followed by the keeper losing possession to McGuigan but Todd was alble to rescue the situation by clearing off the line.

Either side of the hour mark there were let-offs for the Warriors when firstly a Cox cross hit the top of the bar and then Craig Barr aimed a header goal-wards but it lacked power to cause any real problems.

It was always in the back of the mind of the Stenhousemuir support that the team might tire badly in the latter stages of the game but this was not to be the case and any worries were allayed in the 85th minute when a Cook whipped cross from the left flank was put into his own net by Todd.

This gave the Warriors a sufficient cushion to see the game out without too much trouble though Cowden’s Jordan Allan will have been disappointed not to get a consolation goal in the last minute when he headed wide with only the keeper to beat.