Stenhousemuir -vs- Edinburgh City

[Francesc Fabregas]

A historic day lies in store as Stenhousemuir FC welcome Edinburgh City to Ochilview for the first ever league match between the sides. Stenny, unbeaten in their last six games, go into the contest on the back of an excellent 3-0 win over Berwick Rangers, while City, who haven't been all that fantastic this season, were cuffed at home by Peterhead. It's all pointing towards a home win, and I can't see any reason to bet against it.

I'm not sure what to expect from City. There are some recogniseable names in their ranks but judging them on league performance alone, that doesn't seem to count for much. Stenhousemuir have a solid defence, the goalkeeper and the back four really gelling over the last few weeks, an ever-improving midfielder in Harry Paton and the best striker in the division. I'd like to think we'll have too much for our opponents to handle.

I don't think Nicki Paterson or Colin McMenamin contributed all that much to Saturday's win but I don't see any reason to change a winning XI:

- Mark McGuigan - Colin McMenamin -

- Martin Scott - Harry Paton - Mark Ferry - Nicki Paterson -

- Ruaridh Donaldson - Mick Dunlop - Ross Dunlop - Ross Meechan -

- Chris Smith -

I'm going to be bold and predict a win for the Warriors, either 2-0 or 3-1, something along those lines.

[Emfaefifeyahoorsur]

City set out initially to gain a point and they will Park the bus and make it very difficult for you to break them down. If they score the first goal, they will win 1.0.

[beaver1]

Is it the first time Stenhousemuir have played Edinburgh City? Appreciate that this is the first time Stenny have played them in their current guise, but back in the day (the day being the 1940s I think ?) City played Stenhousemuir.

[cowdenbeath]

4 hours ago, beaver1 said:

Is it the first time Stenhousemuir have played Edinburgh City? Appreciate that this is the first time Stenny have played them in their current guise, but back in the day (the day being the 1940s I think ?) City played Stenhousemuir.

The current City claim to be a continuation of the original club as the old social club in Baxter Place was always on the go but didn't have a football section for 30 years.

Stenny last played them in season 38/39 in the Second Division.  Just to jinx things you have never lost to them at Ochilview, your only ever defeat came at the old City Park (just across the road from their current Ainslie Park base) the season before when City won 5-2.

 

 

[tamthebam]

A young Colin McMenamin used to stick the ball in the City net playing for Annan in the East of Scotland League before signing for Newcastle United. 

The sod. 

 

[AllyMonc]

Missing this one as I'm away to look at our wedding venue.......... Hoping for a glorious 0-1 City victory reminiscent of the last visit to Ochilview, although against different opposition.

[CEMSFC]

Looking forward to this match. Should hopefully make it. Going for a 3-0 win for Stenny, mcguigan hat trick.


Interesting fact, the Edinburgh City assistant manager used to be my PE teacher

[tamthebam]

2 hours ago, CEMSFC said:

Looking forward to this match. Should hopefully make it. Going for a 3-0 win for Stenny, mcguigan hat trick.


Interesting fact, the Edinburgh City assistant manager used to be my PE teacher

Good. Abuse him.

 

[Brazilianlex]

Game could go any way. Craig Charleston. Is the ref. He had a howler on Saturday. Failed to show a card after blowing for a last man foul. Missed a blatant handball on the line to prevent a goal then gave us a penalty for foul outside the box.

good luck to both teams ! You will need it.

[Neilly]

He's been awful for years. We are only too well aware.

Mr Goals should put this mob to the sword himself. Maybe play the Dunlop brothers as a safety net but we sure as hell don't need a full 11 against this gang.

[Albino Rover]

Gary Jardine revealed in his post-match that today's game was his last as @EdinburghCityFC manager.

Didn't see that coming! Good opportunity for ex-EC player and constantly-rumoured managerial candidate Russell Latapy to cut his teeth at a lower level?

(Mark McGuigan is on fire by the way, great coup for Stenny)

[berwick-the-unbeatable]

Tena will be in for it. He applied for Berwick a month back and rightly got pied as we plucked the world's best manager out the juniors.

[berwick-the-unbeatable]

Game could go any way. Craig Charleston. Is the ref. He had a howler on Saturday. Failed to show a card after blowing for a last man foul. Missed a blatant handball on the line to prevent a goal then gave us a penalty for foul outside the box.
good luck to both teams ! You will need it.

I've not seen it but last man isn't a thing. If he attempted to play the ball when fouling it's a yellow

[David W]

2 hours ago, berwick-the-unbeatable said:

 

I've not seen it but last man isn't a thing. If he attempted to play the ball when fouling it's a yellow

 

It was one of those ones where the guys runs in front of the defender who makes a wee bit of contact, caused the Cowden player to clip his own heel. Wasn't a red card either way though as he'd lost the ball regardless with a shocking touch. Think the comedy comes from the fact he didn't even get booked.

[Francesc Fabregas]

A straightforward win and very well-deserved three points for Stenhousemuir. Other than a tricky 15 minutes at the start of the game where Edinburgh City enjoyed some decent play around the middle of the park, the home side were largely untroubled and dominated for long spells. The second half in particular was exclusively one-way traffic and it could have been a four- or five-goal thrashing at the end.

While Stenny spent the opening exchanges trying (and failing) to hit long passes up to Mark "Mr Goals" McGuigan, City looked to pass the ball between defence and midfield. There are some decent footballers in their ranks but, for all their neat passing, they had nothing in attack to remotely trouble the Warriors' backline. Other than an effort from a indirect free-kick - an absurd decision from Craig Charleston, given Ruaridh Donaldson thundered a City cross into his goalkeeper's arms - they created little and did not work Chris Smith. Stenhousemuir weren't exactly threatening themselves but Colin McMenamin really should have given his side the lead but headed Donaldson's cross high over the bar.

The second half was more or less all Stenny. Mark Ferry was imperious in front of the defence, shutting down any City foray, and Harry Paton always looked to get on the ball and carry his team forward. The contest was effectively finished on 65 minutes when McMenamin threw himself at McGuigan's low cross to open the scoring and, after that, Stenny had exclusive use of the ball. Paton won his side a penalty shortly afterwards, driving into the box and forcing the City full-back into a foul, and McGuigan converted from the spot. The big striker went onto net his ninth goal in eight league games when he expertly anticipated a poor header back to Calum Antell and sent a gorgeous little chip over the goalie and into the net. He could (and should) have scored a hat-trick at the death but he couldn't quite meet Ross Meechan's centre. Even although he scored twice and assisted the opening goal, he was a little subdued but even so, McGuigan is brimming with confidence, his little chip testament to his grit. What a signing he's been for us.

I didn't think all that much of Edinburgh City. They moved the ball around quite well in the opening exchanges but never struck me as capable of hurting us. Their full-backs look laboured, their wingers were unable to stretch us, and their forwards couldn't beat the Dunlop brothers. I think they'll be looking over their shoulders this season. I also can't really understand the signing of Craig Thomson - why damage the goodwill of fans, neutral observers and the local community to sign a bang-average midfielder?

As for Stenhousemuir, while I don't want to get carried away after bodying two of the division's lesser lights, it's hard not to be enthusiastic about this team at the moment. The back four were generally excellent - the Dunlop brothers strolled through the match, Ross in particular, Ruaridh Donaldson is getting better with every game and Ross Meechan was solid (although his crossing was poor on occasion). Mark Ferry had his best game for the club and was my man of the match, Harry Paton controlled the middle of the park and is developing into a superb little player for us, and Nicki Paterson and Jimmy Scott showed some nice touches. The midfield is very one-paced and better teams will run over the top of us (Stirling Albion, for example) but they were in good form today. Colin McMenamin, his goal aside, didn't offer all that much and Mark McGuigan, as discussed earlier, was the matchwinner, again.

I'm really disappointed it's coming up for the international break, it's good fun watching the Warriors just now.

[Neilly]

A lot of words of nothing there. Two words will suffice.

Mr Goals.

[beaver1]

What a player Harry Paton is.

Jimmy Scott and Mark Ferry had their best games for us, mainly because we played through midfield a lot more. Good to see we are able to mix it up.

These are good times.

[tamthebam]

3 hours ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

A straightforward win and very well-deserved three points for Stenhousemuir. Other than a tricky 15 minutes at the start of the game where Edinburgh City enjoyed some decent play around the middle of the park, the home side were largely untroubled and dominated for long spells. The second half in particular was exclusively one-way traffic and it could have been a four- or five-goal thrashing at the end.

While Stenny spent the opening exchanges trying (and failing) to hit long passes up to Mark "Mr Goals" McGuigan, City looked to pass the ball between defence and midfield. There are some decent footballers in their ranks but, for all their neat passing, they had nothing in attack to remotely trouble the Warriors' backline. Other than an effort from a indirect free-kick - an absurd decision from Craig Charleston, given Ruaridh Donaldson thundered a City cross into his goalkeeper's arms - they created little and did not work Chris Smith. Stenhousemuir weren't exactly threatening themselves but Colin McMenamin really should have given his side the lead but headed Donaldson's cross high over the bar.

The second half was more or less all Stenny. Mark Ferry was imperious in front of the defence, shutting down any City foray, and Harry Paton always looked to get on the ball and carry his team forward. The contest was effectively finished on 65 minutes when McMenamin threw himself at McGuigan's low cross to open the scoring and, after that, Stenny had exclusive use of the ball. Paton won his side a penalty shortly afterwards, driving into the box and forcing the City full-back into a foul, and McGuigan converted from the spot. The big striker went onto net his ninth goal in eight league games when he expertly anticipated a poor header back to Calum Antell and sent a gorgeous little chip over the goalie and into the net. He could (and should) have scored a hat-trick at the death but he couldn't quite meet Ross Meechan's centre. Even although he scored twice and assisted the opening goal, he was a little subdued but even so, McGuigan is brimming with confidence, his little chip testament to his grit. What a signing he's been for us.

I didn't think all that much of Edinburgh City. They moved the ball around quite well in the opening exchanges but never struck me as capable of hurting us. Their full-backs look laboured, their wingers were unable to stretch us, and their forwards couldn't beat the Dunlop brothers. I think they'll be looking over their shoulders this season. I also can't really understand the signing of Craig Thomson - why damage the goodwill of fans, neutral observers and the local community to sign a bang-average midfielder?

As for Stenhousemuir, while I don't want to get carried away after bodying two of the division's lesser lights, it's hard not to be enthusiastic about this team at the moment. The back four were generally excellent - the Dunlop brothers strolled through the match, Ross in particular, Ruaridh Donaldson is getting better with every game and Ross Meechan was solid (although his crossing was poor on occasion). Mark Ferry had his best game for the club and was my man of the match, Harry Paton controlled the middle of the park and is developing into a superb little player for us, and Nicki Paterson and Jimmy Scott showed some nice touches. The midfield is very one-paced and better teams will run over the top of us (Stirling Albion, for example) but they were in good form today. Colin McMenamin, his goal aside, didn't offer all that much and Mark McGuigan, as discussed earlier, was the matchwinner, again.

I'm really disappointed it's coming up for the international break, it's good fun watching the Warriors just now.

Thomson's actually been one of our better players this season... 

[Moonglum25]

First 15 minutes City looked lively and then after that did not threaten up front.  Thought Paton had a very good second half and our midfield play was much better.

12 hours ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

 I also can't really understand the signing of Craig Thomson - why damage the goodwill of fans, neutral observers and the local community to sign a bang-average midfielder?

As a Warriors supporter what were your thoughts when we signed Alan Lithgow?

[Francesc Fabregas]

6 minutes ago, Moonglum25 said:

As a Warriors supporter what were your thoughts when we signed Alan Lithgow?

I wasn't all that fussed when we signed Alan Lithgow.