Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Dunfermline Athletic at Ochilview Park, on 2.1.14

SPFL Division One                            Att 1556

Stenhousemuir 1 [Lynch 84] Dunfermline Athletic 2 [El Bakhtaoui 13, Geggan 90]

Stenhousemuir –C.Smith, Devlin, McKinlay, Malone, McMillan, Hodge [b80], Rowson, Higgins, Lynch and Faulds [Gemmell 61][b76]Subs not used –McNeil, Greacen, Ferguson, Shaw, Douglas and D.Smith.

Dunfemline Athletic – Scully, Williamson, Whittle [Drummond h/t], Martin, Young [b6], Geggan, Byrne, Husband 71], Wallace, El Bakhtaoui, and Moore [A.Smith 61]. Subs not used – Dargo, Kane, Spence and Goodfellow.

Referee – Andrew Dallas              Assistants – Morag Pirie and Francis Andrews

 It may have been the start of a new year but the outcome of the game was the same as the previous two meetings of the season with the Pars victorious thanks to a stoppage time goal. What was worse was that the scorer of the winning goal, Andy Geggan, inflicted the damage during the first encounter at Ochilview in August.

Stenhousemuir have been slow to start games in recent weeks and that was a problem once again as they could have found themselves in arrears in the early stages with Chris Smith doing well to tip a Faissal El Bakhtaoui shot over the bar after only 40 seconds play.

In the 6^th minute there was a potential chance at the other end when Sean Higgins almost got onto a ball behind the Dunfermline defence, he though was impeded by Kerr Young who was cautioned, it did look though if Ryan Scully may have gathered safely anyway. Higgins then squandered the free kick failing to hit the target with the free kick.

The first goal of the game came in the 13^th minute of the game when Faissal El Bakhtaoui celebrated his starting debut with a fine finish to tuck the ball past Chris Smith at the near post from a Ryan Wallace cross from the left touch line.

Chris Smith saved from Ryan Wallace in the 19^th minute before Stenhousemuir almost equallised in the 23^rd minute when an Eddie Malone corner was headed off his own bar by Young. In the main though Dunfermline were the more creative and Ryan Wallace picked out Lewis Martin at the back stick but the pass was just behind him and although the Bonnybridge lad got a touch it went wide of the target.

The second half started more promisingly for the Warriors and a Higgins back flick just missed the target with David Rowson just failing to divert the ball into the net. Bryan Hodge then had a fierce strike that brought out the best from Ryan Scully in the 53^rd minute. The home were certainly putting on a better second half performance and Kevin McKinlay opened up the visitors defence in the 58^th minute but they recovered to clear the dangerous cross before anyone could get on the end of it.

The introduction of John Gemmell added extra bite to the Warriors attack and he really should have scored in the 69^th minute after he and Higgins combined to open up the Dunfermline defence but with the goal at his mercy he blasted wide of the target. Dunfermline though being pushed back further and further into their own half were still a threat on the counter attack and almost scored in the 75^th minute when Ryan Wallace was on the end of a swift attack and shot just wide.

The Warriors though managed to get back on level terms in the 84^th minute when Dunfermline failed to clear their lines and a deft cross by Ross McMillan was met by Sean Lynch who headed home under pressure from Ryan Scully.

It was no more than they deserved for the second half performance but the Pars secured all three points in the 91^st minute when Andy Geggan peeled off Kevin McKinlay to head home a Ross Drummond corner to send the Fifers home with all three points.