Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Edinburgh City v Stenhousemuir at Ainslie Park, Edinburgh on 16.12.17

SPFL Ladbrokes League Two             Att 271

Edinburgh City 1 [Laird 35] Stenhousemuir 2 [Paton 25, McGuigan 41]

Edinburgh City – Antell, Caddow, McKee [b64][Allan 66], Morrison, Walker, Laird, Thomson [b89], Henderson, Grimes, El Alagui [Malin 77] and Shepherd [Olanrewaju 82]. Subs not used – Hall, Watson and Morton

Stenhousemuir –  Smith, Meechan, M.Dunlop, R,Dunlop [b60], Donaldson, Marsh, McGuigan [Longworth 90], Ferry, Scott [McMenamin 78], Paton [Paterson 83] and Cook [b37]. Subs not used – Allan, Murray, McMinn and Ferns.

Referee –Gavin Ross              Assistants – Drew Kirkland and Blair Fraser

With a cold snap descending a number of games throughout the central belt were cancelled as frost took its toll including a number of artificial pitches. One fixture that survived however was Stenhousemuir’s first ever league game at Ainslie Park where they met hosts Edinburgh City. Conditions weren’t ideal with the pitch hard in places but the important thing was that referee Gavin Ross was happy and allowed the game to go ahead.

The Warriors were favourites for the game and although they ultimately won they had to work hard for the three points and in the second half they had to grind out a result. There was an element of fortune as well as Edinburgh missed a penalty but ultimately it was a deserved three points.

Stenhousemuir had the first opportunity through Jimmy Scott but he steered a shot just wide after five minutes. An even better chance fell to Mark McGuigan in the 13^th minute but his effort was well blocked by City keeper Calum Antell. Stenhousemuir were on top territorially but the home side showed that they could be a danger when Scott Shepherd shot wide after a quick counter attack. The Warriors eventually made the breakthrough in the 25^th minute and it was thanks to persistence by Harry Paton who broke through a couple of tackles before firing home. 

Edinburgh had a short spell where they got Stenhousemuir on the back foot and Scott did well to intercept to deny ex-Warrior Liam Henderson scoring at the back post. Although City were getting into the game it was still a shock when they equalised when Marc Laird capitalised on a loose ball to pass the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

McGuigan saw a header from a corner cleared off the line but he eventually got on the score-sheet in the 41^st minute when Alan Cook drilled a shot across goal and the striker spun and shot past the helpless Antell.

Farid El Alagui should have at least pressurised the keeper almost immediately after the resumption but fired wide from a good position. On the hour he had a better chance to level when the home side were awarded a controversial penalty. Ross Dunlop looked as if he had won the ball cleanly in a tackle on Shepherd but referee Gavin Ross thought otherwise and awarded a spot kick. El Alagui stepped up but slipped in the process of taking it and it ballooned over the bar.

Although Chris Smith wasn’t called into action on that occasion he had to be on top of his game to deny Edinburgh in the 84^th minute and he was a shade lucky when he spilled a Craig Thomson strike three minutes later but Ross Dunlop was able to clear the danger. City continued to attack but were unable to make the breakthrough before the final whistle.