Match Report

East Fife v Stenhousemuir at New Bayview, Methil on 13.4.13

Irn Bru Scottish Second Division                 Att 461

East Fife 1 [McBride 67] Stenhousemuir 2 [Buist 42, Gemmell 51]

With both teams struggling of late it was no surprise that it took a while for the game to come to life. Gradually though Stenhousemuir took control of the game without really looking as if they were going to make the breakthrough. The first time either keeper was called into action in the 10^th minute when Calum Antell made a comfortable save from a Jamie Reid effort. This was followed by a David Rowson shot that went over the bar. Home defender David Muir then headed a Greg Ross cross over Antell and was grateful to see the ball just go over the bar as well. The home side who realistically needed a win to escape from the relegation play offs rarely threatened at the other end of the pitch and their performance was summed up by a Gareth Wardlaw shot from distance that went out for a shy. Bryan Hodge then had a decent run and shot but his effort was pushed out for a corner. Greg Ross then headed a Nicky Devlin cross goalwards but it lacked power and was clutched by Antell. The keeper then came to the Fifers rescue to deny John Gemmell who looked to get on the end of a short pass back by Craig Johnstone. Bobby Barr had been very quiet for the home side but he created an opening in the 37^th minute with a run down the left wing before picking out Wardlaw. His shot looked to be going well wide but struck Scot Buist possibly on the arm but strong appeals were turned down. With three minutes of the half left Sean Dickson had a chance after the best passing move of the game but the Warrior’s effort was blocked for a corner by Paul Willis. The corner was sweetly struck by Bryan Hodge and Scot Buist rose above the home defence to fire a powerful header past Antell and give Stenhousemuir a deserved lead.

As the teams left the pitch at half time the boos from the home support irked their manager Billy Brown who grabbed the microphone from the stadium announcer who was at the tunnel and he vented his frustrations very vocally to all concerned. It seemed as if he had continued in the dressing room as East Fife came out in a more positive manner. The closest that they came though was a Craig Johnstone shot that went well wide. They were deflated though when Stenhousemuir scored their second in the 51^st minute. Jamie Reid did well to dispossess David Muir before surging forward and then picking out John Gemmell who steered the ball past Antell and into the net.      

That could have been the end of the game but Stenhousemuir were dealt a cruel blow in the 59^th minute when Scot Buist picked up a knee injury that could see a lengthy layoff. The Warriors brought David Rowson to cover but that appeared to have a detrimental effect on the midfield. Sub Liam Gormley saw an effort for  East Fife flash just wide in the 63^rd minute but they did not have long to wait for a goal when Scott McBride fired a free kick into the net in the 67^th minute. This gave the Fifers a bit more confidence and they really should have drawn level four minutes later but after a weak effort had only been pushed out by Chris Smith the keeper atoned by saving the rebound. Stenhousemuir were struggling to get up the field but in a rare counter attack a diving header by John Gemmell in the 77^th minute from a Darren Smith cross went just the wrong side of the post with Antell beaten. There was a real escape at the other end with ten minutes left when the unmarked Liam Gormley chipped Chris Smith from close range but somehow David Rowson got back and scrambled the ball off the line.

Stenhousemuir were living on their nerves by this stage but the pressure was eased with three minutes left when East Fife’s Darren McCormack was dismissed for his second booking after tripping Nicky Devlin who was making a break into dangerous territory. He had previously been booked after a difference of opinion with John Gemmell that had saw both players booked.

This took the sting out of the Methil side and although there was a fair amount of stoppage time they failed to make further inroads on the Stenhousemuir goal.

This rare victory on the road for Stenhousemuir means that they at the very least will be in the Second Division next season as neither East Fife nor Albion Rovers can catch them. There were no celebrations though as the management and players will feel that they should have been challenging at the other end of the table.

East Fife – Antell, Durie, Johnstone [b84], Smith [Samuel 58], Muir, McCormack [b74][so 87], Barr, Willis, Wardlaw [Sloan 87], Keenan [Gormley 58] and McBride. Subs not used – Brown and Malcolm.

Stenhousemuir – C.Smith, Devlin, Ross, Buist [D.Smith 62], McMillan, Hodge, Dickson, Rowson, Gemmell [Kouider-Aissa 90], Reid [Corcoran 81] and I.Thomson. Subs not used – Summers and Shaw.

Referee – Des Roache   Assistants – Gordon Middleton and Sean Carr