Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Alloa Athletic at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 9.3.13

Irn Bru Scottish Second Division                                 Att 513

Stenhousemuir 1 [Smith 68] Alloa Athletic 1[McCord 21]

Stenhousemuir – Reidford, Ferguson, Ross [b65], Buist, Mbu, Hodge [Reid h/t][b90], Corcoran, Thomson [b89], Gemmell, Kean and Smith. Subs not used – Duncan, Brash, Hepburn and Shaw

Alloa Athletic – Bain, Doyle, Docherty, Marr [Megginson 79], Meggatt, Simmons, Moon, Ry.McCord [b40], Elliot [Gallagher 84], Holmes [b86] and Grehan [Cawley 66]. Subs not used – Stokes and McDowall.

Referee – Greg Aitken  Assistants – David Munro and Scott Lambie

After the debacle of the midweek game at Coatbridge it was important that the Warriors came out with a decent performance. From the start of the game they were far more positive and indeed they could have taken the lead after only 13 seconds of the game. The chance came when Stewart Kean played John Gemmell in and although the big striker hit a decent shot on target he was denied by a fine save from Scott Bain and Kean fired the rebound over. Alloa’s Kevin Moon should have done better when presented with a chance in the 7^th minute but luckily for Stenhousemuir he dragged his shot wide. In the 11^th minute John Gemmell struck a humdinger of a free kick from 35 yards that crashed off the woodwork with Bain beaten.

Alloa came close once again through Moon before they took the lead in the 21^st minute from the penalty mark after Scot Buist tripped Calum Elliot. Ryan McCord stepped up and sent Callum Reidford the wrong way as he converted the kick. This was a blow for the home side and they could have went further behind on the half hour when Reidford one handed tip round the post denied Martin Grehan. Stenhousemuir tried hard to get back on level terms but the Alloa defence remained solid and Bain was not troubled for the rest of the half. At the other end the Stenhousemuir defence looked more vulnerable though Joe Mbu did well to make a couple of vital blocks as Alloa threatened.

The Warriors had to make an enforced change at half time with Bryan Hodge being subbed. His replacement Jamie Reid almost made an instant impact when after 47 minutes he picked out Gemmell who turned and fired a powerful shot at goal from eight yards out. Once again Bain was to deny him with a superb instinctive save to keep the Wasps ahead. Paradoxically the shot was probably struck too well and a miss hit effort if on target could have resulted in a goal.  

Three minutes later Stephen Simmons headed wide a Ryan McCord free kick from close range. Alloa had an even better chance in the 64^th minute when Grehan beat the offside trap and found himself one on one with the keeper. Reidford made a vital save though to keep the game alive.

If that was a decent save then Bain raised the bar with a brilliant save in the 66^th minute with a one handed save from a powerful Gemmell header from close range. The ball then broke to Darren Smith and his cross into the danger area was handled by Mark Docherty but this time the referee decided against awarding a penalty.

The Warriors emotions changed from frustrated to elated though two minutes later when Darren Smith converted a Jamie Reid cross at the back post. When playing the ball though Reid was caught late by Simmons who was lucky not to be sent off for the challenge but the referee ignored the vocal complaints of the Stenhousemuir players.

 Just after the goal Alloa came close again with their best passing move of the game that ended with Kevin Cawley shooting just wide. As the game progressed though it was Stenhousemuir who looked the more likely to score with Smith and Reid playing with a degree of confidence. The best chances fell to Mark Corcoran who shot wide of the target in the 76^th minute and seconds later Stewart Kean side footed over from eight yards. This was a bad miss and neither side were able to create a better one before the final whistle blew.

This was a hard fought draw and Stenhousemuir will have felt that they should have won if not for the heroics of Scott Bain who denied John Gemmell a potential hat-trick. The Warriors probably needed the win more than Alloa who are sitting comfortably in the promotion play offs. Their manager Paul Hartley has been getting the plaudits for their play this season and has been touted by many for jobs higher up the league structure and he may be a candidate for the Falkirk job at the end of the season to take over from temporary manager Alex Smith who was Stenhousemuir’s first ever manager away back in 1969.