Elgin City 2 [MacKay 52, Campbell 58]            Stenhousemuir 0

 

Stenhousemuir have usually struggled to get results at Elgin having lost 6 of the previous ten games including the encounter earlier this season that brought the then table toppers unbeaten league record to an end. That game in October seems ancient history as does the unbeaten run as the Warriors look to be going into freefall at the moment.

The 4-1 hammering by the Shire last week was a hard one for everyone at the club to take but they were able to hold their hands up and say that on that day they were beaten by a far better footballing side who outplayed them in every department.  The team seemed to suffer the after effects of this as they looked to lack confidence and at times desire against what can best be described as a workman like Elgin side.

The windy conditions looked as if they would have a major effect on the game as the Warriors played into the wind in the first half and at times to be settling for going into the interval on level terms before taking advantage in the second period.

Both teams struggled to be fair with Elgin over hitting their passes but they were able to claim territorial advantage and to put the Stenhousemuir defence on the back foot most of the time without really threatening. Stenhousemuir’s main chances came from the runs of Scott Dalziel but they were usually dealt with without too many problems. Elgin did come close to opening the scoring through a Craig Campbell effort on the half hour that bounced off the chest of Scott Bennett before being gratefully clutched by the keeper.  In the 35^th minute Jordan Smith had to block a goal bound strike after John Ovenstone was caught out trying to usher the ball out of play and with three minutes of the half remaining Steven MacKay headed straight at Bennett from close range. Going into the half time interval though it looked as if the game was there for the taking by Stenhousemuir if they were able to utilise the conditions.

 

At half time there was a strong possibility that the game was going to be abandoned due to the wind with the referee Colin Brown and his assistants doing an inspection but after talking to the respective managers about how they felt the second half started all right.

In hindsight John Coughlin must have been wishing that proceedings had been brought to a halt as Stenhousemuir gave an abject performance that had the manager tearing his hair out with

frustration at the humiliation that followed.

 

The Warriors started brightly and Alan Morgan had a 25 yard effort parried out by Ally Ridgers in the 50^th minute but two minutes later Elgin took the lead when MacKay fired a free kick from the edge of the box under the wall and into the net.

Scott Dalziel tested the home keeper shortly afterwards but Ridgers proved to be up to the task with a fine one handed block in the 54^th minute. In the 58^th minute Elgin secured all three points with their second goal. Campbell took advantage of being allowed to run on despite looking offside and although Smith slowed his progress with a last ditch tackle he was able to dispatch the ball into the net.

 

After that the referee would have been as well blowing his whistle for full time at the game effectively was finished as a contest with a number of heads going down in the Stenhousemuir ranks as despite over half an hour left in the game they lacked the fight to claw their way back into contention. In deed as the game progressed Elgin dominated large spells and really should have added to their tally in what was a dismal day for Stenhousemuir.

 

With the rest of the top four also been beaten it remained the same at the top of the table though the gap between Stenhousemuir and the teams below them continues to shorten and if they continue to play like this they will soon drop out of even play- off contention and the manager looks as if he will need to summon up all of his managerial experience to turn things around for the remaining games of the season

 

Elgin City – Ridgers, Nicolson, MacDonald, Niven [Craig 68], Munro, Kaczan, Campbell, O’Donoghue, Wright [Shallicker 68], MacKay and Crooks [[MacKenzie 90. Subs not used – Jack and Anderson.

 

Stenhousemuir – Bennett, Lyle, McGroarty, Smith, Ovenstone, Motion, Molloy [Shirra h/t], Brand [Thomson 76], Dalziel, A.Ferguson and Morgan [Diack 76]. Subs not used – Tyrrell and Renton

 

Referee – Colin Brown                 

Assistants – Gary Cheyne and Graham Fraser