Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Airdrieonians at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 13.10.20

Betfred Cup Sectional Match

Stenhousemuir 0 Airdrie 2 [McKay 47, Thomson 87]

Stenhousemuir – Erskine, Tiffoney, McQueen [Brown 66][b87], Munro, Little, Yeats, Tapping, Hopkirk [Biabi 67], Hodge [Watters 85], Muir [McGuigan [79] and Spence [Fairley  79]

Subs – Smith, Halleran, Biabi, McGuigan, Watters, Fairley, Brown  [b87]and Grigor.

Airdrieonians – Currie, MacDonald, McCann, Crighton, Fordyce, Kerr, McKay, Ritchie [Sabatini 84], Robert [Thomson 65], Gallacher [Stokes 79], O’Reilly [Carrick 65]

Subs – Hutton, Sabatini, Stokes, Murdoch, Thomson, Mbayo, Carrick, Walker and Hughes.

Referee – Graham Grainger   Assistants – Craig Ferguson and Craig McCrae

After the bonus point on Saturday the Warriors went into this game against Airdrie in good spirits. Manager David Irons made three changes to the starting eleven with McQueen and Tommy Muir making their senior debuts for the club and Jack Hodge making his first start. Later in the game Paul Brown and Jayden Fairley would make their senior debuts. Airdrie also freshened up their team making four changes from their previous game.

At this stage of the season there is as much emphasis on getting players match ready for the league campaign though at the same time a decent performance is still a requisite. In the main the Warriors did well against their full time opponents though the visitors had the bulk of the play in the first half and multiple corners without really testing Callum Erskine in the Stenhousemuir goal. His counterpart Max Currie though was rarely troubled either. Andy Munro did have a header cleared off the line but in truth there was little to write about.

The second half was a more lively affair from the start and ironically a much improved performance from Stenhousemuir despite the fact that they lost two goals one at the start of the half and the other at the end.

Airdrie were to take the lead just after the restart. Kyle McDonald’s cross from the right flank caused problems and Erskine was able to block it but the rebound fell to Calum Gallacher whose effort was saved by Erskine whilst on the ground and it was played back in to Paul McKay who was ahead of the keeper to slot home.

The home side appealed for offside but they were turned down as although ahead of the keeper there were two defenders behind the ball so it was a fair call to allow the goal.

Although Stenhousemuir were to have more of the play than the first half Airdrie were making the better goalscoring opportunities and McDonald was unlucky with a strike that was diverted just wide by Creag Little.  They came close once again to increasing their lead when Josh Kerr headed wide.

At the other end of the park Botti Biabi forced Currie into a save and Callum Tapping looking to emulate his goal from Saturday hit a fierce drive just over from distance.

Airdrie sealed the game in the 87^th minute when Craig Thomson who had been a thorn in the Stenhousemuir defence scored with deflected half volley. The Warriors had the chance for a consolation in the last minute but Botti headed over from 6 yards and thus the game ended with Airdrie victorious thaough Stenhousemuir won’t be too down hearted with the performance.