Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Ayr United at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 10.11.12

Irn Bru Scottish Second Division               Att 586

Stenhousemuir 1 [Smith 84]  Ayr United 1 [Moffat 68]

Stenhousemuir went into this game without Brown Ferguson who was suspended but were lifted by the return of Ross McMillan in the heart of defence. He was partnered by loan player Brad McKay from Hearts who was making his debut.

The Warriors started promisingly and Stewart Kean will have felt that he should have put the home side ahead in the first minute but had a fresh air swipe when he was picked out when in a goal coring area. The ex-Ayr man then had a header wide of the target in three minutes as he rose to meet a Sean Dickson cross. McMillan then proved his worth to cut out a dangerous through ball with Michael Moffat poised to advance on goal. John Gemmell then had two efforts in quick succession but neither troubled ex-Warrior Ally Brown in the Ayr goal. Moffat and player manager Mark Roberts then combined to test Robbie Thomson but the keeper was able to push the effort out for a corner.

After this frantic start the game lost its way and there was little of note for the rest of the half. Ayr’s main threat came from a breakaway that stretched the home defence but petered out when an attacking player strayed offside. Iain Thomson was cautioned by Stevie O’Reilly for trying to stop the break at its inception. There could be no complaints about the decision by a referee who overall had a decent game.

Stenhousemuir at last tested Brown in the 42^nd minute when a decent shot by Sean Dickson was parried clear and no one was able to play the ball back into the box before the danger was cleared.

The second half started the same as the first with several chances being created. Marc Twaddle hit a long range effort just wide in the 46^th minute. This was followed by a Gemmell header that went wide when he would have expected to do better then he had a shot saved though a pass to Kean may on this occasion have been the better option. 

There was a decent chance for the Warriors in the 59^th minute when Ally Brown punched the ball to Dickson when under pressure from Kean. Sean however got too much elevation on his shot and actually struck the roof of the enclosure.

Ayr had hardly set the heather on fire either but they took the lead out of the blue in the 67^th minute when Moffat put them ahead after being played through by a combination of Roberts and Darian McKinnon. The strike appeared to take a deflection before going in though the Stenhousemuir defence seemed to have stopped playing as well.

The Warriors were stung by this setback and Gemmell almost equalised a couple of minutes later when he saw a header from a Bryan Hodge corner strike the bar. Ayr then should have put the game beyond doubt in the 80^th minute when Moffat rounded Robbie Thomson but somehow Ross McMillan managed to clear off the line when the Ayr striker could have picked his spot.

The home side made the most of that reprieve and equalised in the 84^th minute. A rasping John Gemmell strike proved too much for Ally Brown and although the keeper got a hand to the strike it continued towards goal. The keeper tried to scramble back and retrieve the ball but he was beaten to the ball by Darren Smith who stooped to head home.

Ayr broke away once again a minute later and should have taken the lead once again when MacKinnon found himself one on one with Robbie Thomson and he hit a decent shot but the keeper managed to save with his feet.

Stenhousemuir did have a chance to win the game before the end with a John Gemmell header that went wide but the final whistle blew with the scores level and although it will be seen as two points dropped it will be a welcome point after the sticky spell that the Warriors have went through recently.

Stenhousemuir – R.Thomson, Ross, McKinlay, McKay, McMillan, Hodge, Smith, I.Thomson [C.Anderson  70], Gemmell, Kean and Dickson [Rodgers 76]. Subs not used  – Lawson, Brash and Reidford

Ayr United – Brown, Hunter [R Robertson 69] , Twaddle, McAusland, McCann, Wylie, Crawford, McStay, Moffat, Roberts [Winters 76] and McKinnon. Subs – Shankland, Slooves and Muir

Referee – Stevie O’Reilly             Assistants – Alan Newlands and Stephen Graham