Match Report

Dunfermline Athletic v Stenhousemuir at East End Park, Dunfermline on 14.2.15

SPFL Division One             Att 2393

Dunfermline 3 [Barrowman 45, 90, McAusland 73] Stenhousemuir 2 [McMullan 18, McMenamin 43]

Brown Ferguson’s first game in charge of the Warriors after the departure of Scott Booth was a bittersweet affair with much to commend it but ultimately ended in defeat with the Pars once again victorious with a very late winner for the fourth time in the last six meetings between the clubs.

There were several changes to the starting eleven from the defeat at Peterhead, some of them enforced as Kieran Millar and Jamie McCormack were both suspended. Ross McMillan who was unavailable for that trip returned to central defence with Ross Meechan moving back to right back, whilst Craig Sutherland dropped to the bench for Martin Grehan making his first start since the 8^th of November after injury had curtailed his appearances and Josh Watt also started. On the bench were two trialists Anthony Marenghi who had been released by Stranraer and Scott Morrison in the back up keeper role as Chris Smith was unavailable due to work commitments and Dean Shaw was playing in the Junior Cup for Camelon. Morrison had been a team mate of the manager when he had started his career at East Stirlingshire and was currently unattached having last played for Arbroath.

It was clear from the start that the Warriors were playing with a greater intensity and although in the early stages of the game the home side had the bulk of the play they weren’t given time to settle and most moves broke down. Stenhousemuir once they had settled became a more attacking threat themselves and they took the lead in the 18^th minute when Paul McMullan harassed the Dunfermline defence before winning the ball from Alex Whittle before tucking the ball past Ryan Scully. Dunfermline’s Michael Moffat was unlucky not to get the equaliser shortly afterwards when he struck a dipping volley off the crossbar with Greg Fleming beaten. Ross Meechan saw an effort saved by Scully after a well worked move and Fleming denied Moffat at the other end. It was Stenhousemuir though who scored their second goal in the 43^rd minute when Colin McMenamin rose to head home his 12th goal of the season heading home a Ciaran Summers cross. In stoppage time Dunfermline got a vital goal when Andy Barrowman bundled the ball over the line after Alan Lithgow cleared a Moffat effort off the line.

Dunfermline lifted by this goal came out full of vigour at the start of the second period and Stenhousemuir were pushed back and it was a combination of fine defending and first class goalkeeping that kept the Warriors in the lead. The Warriors were a threat going forwards though and a breakaway by Summers saw him and Grehan combine to good effect in the 64^th minute but ended with Grehan shooting wide at the other end.

In the 69^th minute the home side were awarded a penalty after Lewis Spence went down in the box following a Bryan Hodge tackle, and the referee awarded a penalty that was in the soft category. Justice appeared to be served though when Fleming saved Moffat’s spot kick. The keeper though was helpless when he was beaten by a stunning Kyle McAusland strike four minutes later.

In the latter stages McMullan was pushed into a more central attacking role and he came very close to putting Stenhousemuir back into the lead on a couple of occasions with Scully bringing off a superb stop in the 92^nd minute to keep the score level. This proved vital two minutes later when Barrowman scored his second and Dunfermline’s third goal to win the game for the Fifers and prove to be a cruel finale for the Warriors.

Dunfermline Athletic = Scully, Geggan, Whittle, Martin, Buchanan [[Urquhart 35][b90], McAusland, Falkingham [b50], Spence, Barrowman [b90], Moffat [El Bahktaoui 72] and Hopkirk [George h/t]. Subs not used – Millen, Byrne, Thomson and Goodfellow.

Stenhousemuir – Fleming, Meechan, Summers [b82], Lithgow, McMillan, Hodge [b41], McMullan [b90], Faulds, McMenamin [Fotheringham 70], Grehan [Duncan 84] and Watt [Marenghi 61][t]. Subs not used – Gallacher, Sutherland, Eddington and Morrison [t].

Referee – Alan Newlands              Assistants – Graham Chambers and Scott Leslie.