Stenhousemuir 3-1 East Fife

[Francesc Fabregas]

I'm surprised to see there's no topic to discuss yesterday's match between Stenhousemuir and East Fife, so I might as well start it. I imagine it'll get five or six replies before falling into the abyss.

Anyway. A hugely welcome three points for the Warriors that edges them that little bit closer to Peterhead in ninth place. I didn't think there was much between the sides yesterday but Stenhousemuir seemed to have an ingenuity the Fifers lacked, and this became very apparent the longer the game went on. Chris Duggan, for instance, got in behind an uncertain backline twice in the opening 20 minutes but, by the end, he barely touched the ball and was well marshalled by Fraser Kerr and David Marsh; Nicki-wth-an-i Patterson and Ross Brown looked decent to begin with before being overrun by Vinnie Berry and Kieran Millar. Stenny, meanwhile, had two maverick wingers in Willis Furtado and Connor Duthie who could bewitch and enrich proceedings and, by in large, they got the better of their full-backs over the 90 minutes (it's hard to believe Kieran Duffie was once considered Falkirk's next big thing a couple of years ago) and had their team on the front foot.

I can't remember a lot happening before the opening goal, other than Duggan's aforementioned runs, but Furtado's close-range strike was probably what the home side deserved after a reasonable first-half showing. Mason Robertson, deployed at right-back today, chucked a long throw into the box; the Fifers failed to deal with it and Furtado, lurking unmarked at the back post, controlled it before smacking it into the net. I got the feeling that Jonathan Page was badly missed today as I can't imagine East Fife losing that kind of goal if he's on the pitch.

The visitors had shown decent initiative after the restart and created a flurry of chances and their equaliser was equally as slapstick as their earlier concession. A corner kick was swung into the box and Graham Bowman, leaping from his line, misjudged the flight of the ball and allowed Chris Kane to poke it home. Bowman, I think, appeared to appeal for some kind of infringement but I think it was bad goalkeeping more than anything else. I would like to know how many of our goals against this season have been from errors or of our own doing.

Parity lasted less than five minutes and Stenhousemuir regained the lead through Colin McMenamin's penalty. Marsh, attacking a corner, had been chopped inside the area - it was probably John McKendrick's easiest decision all afternoon. McMenamin's effort might just have been the worst penalty kick I've ever seen but somehow the ball spun underneath Mark Hurst and over the line. I would like to see someone else on penalty duty in the future - I don't have much confidence in McMenamin's ability from the spot; he got lucky there. East Fife maybe should have had a penalty of their own shortly afterwards when one of their players appeared to have been tugged back inside the box and I was relieved to see play waved on.

With 10 minutes remaining, Duthie, who had been energetic and sparky all afternoon, weaved his way into the penalty box and shot at Hurst. The goalkeeper did well to parry but the ball fell to Furtado, who curled it into the gaping net. It was probably a harder chance than it looked.

There's plenty to think about from Stenhousemuir's perspective. Bowman wasn't really tested in the goal but he was directly culpable for the Fifers' equaliser. Marsh and Kerr, after a shaky start, looked pretty formidable together in central defence. It was strange seeing Robertson at right-back but he had a decent game, it must be said, but I do wonder if we're better served by him as an attacker rather than a defender - with so much of our play going from back to front, having a player of his size leading the line must surely be more beneficial. Has the manager lost faith in Ross Meechan? The central midfielders were tenacious and Berry, my man of the match, really took charge of the game the as it went on. Mark Gilhaney, after a long spell on the fringes, was a surprise inclusion and did well enough. I'm not 100 per cent sure what formation we were playing.

I'm probably getting my hopes up (again) but a two-point gap with four games to go is doable. We'll lose to Livingston next week, of course we will, but the encounter with Peterhead in a fortnight's time will be enormous and the outcome will be definitive. I'm looking forward to it.

[CEMSFC]

There was a topic. It was something to do with the missing factory

[CEMSFC]

Good report as always.

 

Think it was a 352 we were playing. 

[adventpc]

post match interviews.

Warriors TV

Highlights shortly.

[Ivo den Bieman]

great report!

forums like these are still alive and kicking against the grain to be honest. The days when P&B was the first place to come to after a game to enjoy a bit of gloating or to observe the losing side seething, raging or even in actual tears are gone (thank facebook and twitter).

Only the really big forums seem to be thriving and attracting new members now.

[Neilly]

We're still propping up the table.

[Diamond Oracle]

We're still propping up the table.

You're bottom, not moving up the table.

[LIVIFOREVER]

Next week is as good a time as any to be playing Livi, we may still be suffering from a title winning hangover, wouldn't write off Stenny's chances of getting the 3 points against us. 

[Neilly]

Thanks for that really patronising post.

[adventpc]

highlights & post match

WARRIORS TV

[Francesc Fabregas]

Good highlights, and fair play to Willis Furtado, both his goals were better than I remember them.