Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Queens Park v Stenhousemuir at Hampden Park, Glasgow on 29.04.17

Ladbrokes SPFL League One              Att 764

Queens Park 0 Stenhousemuir 2 [Shaw 22,52]

 This was a key game for both sides. Stenhousemuir were bottom of the division and there was a possibility of relegation if results went the wrong way. Queens Park on the other hand were in a battle for a promotion play-off spot where there was a four way tie.

Stenhousemuir buoyed up by the result and performance at Peterhead the previous week kept the same starting eleven from that game whilst Queens Park made a couple of changes. In the previous encounters this season the away team has won the game and therefore Stenhousemuir were hoping that this sequence would continue.

In the opening exchanges the home side appeared to target the right side of the Stenhousemuir ranks as they tried to channel most of the play through Dario Zanatta who had scored in the last meeting between the teams.

Queens Park did have the first chance through a long range effort by David Galt before Connor Duthie hit a free kick over at the other end. The closest that either team came though was a snapshot by Scott Gibson that Graham Bowman dived to save in the eighth minute.

Stenhousemuir could have taken the lead in the20th minute when Kieran Millar’s probing pass picked out Oli Shaw after a clever Mark Gilhaney dummy but the on-loan striker hit a weak shot that was comfortably saved by Willie Muir. Two minutes later though the keeper was beaten by an exquisite shot by Shaw as the youngster showed vision and touch to place the ball into the net.

Ewan MacPherson saw a back header land on the roof on the net as Queens threatened mostly at set plays. Colin McMenamin then headed a Millar cross straight at Muir just after the half hour.

There was controversy in the 39^th minute when Thomas Grant, who had just came on for the injured Mark Gilhaney, himself was injured after a misjudged tackle by Ryan McGeever who was booked for the foul. The referee played advantage though and  Shaw missed a good opportunity to increase the lead.

Bryan Wharton headed wide from a corner in the 41^st minute and just after the resumption a Sean Burns free kick was saved by Graham Bowman. Stenhousemuir were threatening on the counter attack and they had another good chance in the 49^th minute and Shaw tested Muir once again with a powerful drive but a pass to the unmarked McMenamin was probably a better option.

In the 52^nd minute though Shaw did score his second and Stenhousemuir’s second goal. A Grant pass was partly stopped by Wharton but Shaw was able to collect the ball and tuck the ball into the net. Minutes later Grant had a chance when a cross was whipped in but he failed to make full contact and the chance went.

With eleven minutes left to play Stenhousemuir were reduced to ten men after Millar was sent off for a foul after he stretched to make a tackle after losing control of the ball. With McMenamin struggling  as well it could have been a difficult time for the Warriors as all three subs had been made due to various injuries but to their credit they looked comfortable and indeed had the best chance before play came to an end when a McMenamin shot was saved by Muir after being picked out by Willis Furtado.

Queens Park – Muir, Wharton [b39], McIlduff, McKernon, McGeever [b39], Gibson [Brown 56], Galt, Brady, MacPherson [Orsi 56], Zanatta [Docherty 63] and Burns. Subs not used – Mortimer, McVey, Foy and Stott.

Stenhousemuir – Bowman, Robertson, Duthie, Marsh [Meechan 68], Kerr, Berry, Gilhaney [Grant 36][Summers 73], Millar [so79], McMenamin, Shaw and Furtado. Subs not used – McCormack, Manzana, Roy and Crawford.

Referee – Craig Napier          Assistants – Graham McNeillie and Ross Hardie