Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Peterhead at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 17.9.16

Ladbrokes League One                  Att 331

Stenhousemuir 2 Peterhead 2  [Riley 17, Dzierzawski 20]

Stenhousemuir – McCabe, McCormack, Meechan [Gilhaney 74], Marsh [t], Kerr, Stirling, Furtado [b84], McCroary, Shaw, Roy [McMenamin 53] and Cook.  Subs not used – Millar, Summers, Roman [t], Smith and Runciman.

Peterhead – Hobday, Strachan, Noble, Rumsby [b58], Kelleher, S.Brown, Riley [Ferry 76], Eedman [Stevenson 76], McAllister, McCluskey [McIntosh 50] and Dzierzawski. Subs not used – J.Brown, Baptie, Nassor and Smith.

Referee – Steven Kirkland            Assistants – Frank Connor and Ryan Lee

After two heavy defeats in a row there was probably more pressure on the Warriors going  into this game against the Blue Toon. The Peterhead side had only won their first league fixture the previous week but they had won their section in the Betfred Cup and with Rory McAllister up front it was always going to be a hard task for the home side.

Manager Brown Ferguson kept the front two of Roy and Shaw and with Furtado making his home debut it was a relatively inexperienced side that took the park. In defence Fraser Kerr returned after suspension to the heart of the defence where he had a new partner in trialist David Marsh ex-Clyde. Grant Hamilton had joined the injury list through the week and with Jim Paterson and Ciaran Summers not yet able to start Ross Meechan moved to the left back berth once again.

In the early exchanges there wasn’t much between the teams but Peterhead showed their clinical side when they took the lead all too easily in the 17^th minute when Jamie Redman rolled the ball to the poorly marked Nicky Riley and he had all the time in the world to pick his spot. This gave the visitors a visible lift and the Warriors looked as if they would capitulate all too easily as they struggled to cope with the pressure. McAllister saw a 25 yard free kick pushed clear by McCabe two minutes later but a minute later he was beaten once again when a Steven Noble cross was headed in by Kevin Dzierzawski. . There were glimmers that Stenhousemuir weren’t out of it completely in the 23^rd minute when a Stephen Stirling free kick wasn’t cleared properly and Oliver Shaw reacted first but his shot across goal went agonisingly just wide of the target. This was followed by a Furtado long range half volley that was well saved by Fraser Hobday. In the first half Furtado looked the most likely of the Stenhousemuir players to reduce the lead and he had another chance with quick feet creating an opening at the edge of the ‘D’ but his effort flashed just wide. Most of the play though was at the other end though with McAllister in particular a threat but Marsh did well to contain him most of the time.

It was probably a relief when the half time whistle blew and gave Stenhousemuir a chance to regroup.

The second half started brightly for Stenhousemuir and Shaw was unlucky once again to see a header blocked by Fiacre Kelleher. A tactical change was made in the 53^rd minute with the experienced Colin McMenamin coming on and he caused the Peterhead defenders problems from early on. In the 59^th minute a deft free kick picked out the veteran and his clever back header looked to be going in but was stopped by a superb one handed save from Hobday. Shortly after this another McAllister free kick flew just wide but it was Stenhousemuir that got the next counter.  A Ross Meechan free kick was headed into the net by Trialist (Marsh) to give Stenhousemuir hope. It certainly gave them hope as they pushed for the goal and Alan Cook was unlucky not to get on the end on a weighted Meechan cross field pass. Shaw then came close with another blocked effort. In the 74^th minute Fraser Kerr was caught by an elbow by McAllister but he vented his anger the right way by heading home the equaliser in the 77^th minute. Peterhead felt that the assistant had made the wrong decision in awarding a corner kick and their injustice was heightened when Kerr headed home after Cook picked him out at the back post.  Leighton McIntosh dragged a shot wide at the other end a minute late but the momentum had turned and the Warriors looked the more likely to score. A sweeping passing move gave Liam McCroary a chance in the 83^rd minute but he fired over the bar from the edge of the box. Although McAllister came close with another free kick it was Alan Cook who came closest to scoring before the end. A powerful strike took the faintest of deflections  to see the ball go over and from the resultant corner his strike from the edge of the box went just wide.

The final whistle blew with the score level and the fighting spirit gave the management some optimism but plenty to think about as well