Stenhousemuir -vs- Stirling Albion (Saturday 15 October 2022)

[Francesc Fabregas]

Saturday's match between Stenhousemuir and Stirling Albion is, by far and away, the biggest match in the SPFL this weekend. It pits two of the division's most in-form sides against one another - Stenny are enjoying a six-game unbeaten run while the Binos are on a tear, winning their last four, including a 6-0 thrashing of league leaders Dumbarton. It's probably too early in the season to declare this a six-pointer but a defeat would be damaging to the home side's title aspirations; this encounter probably falls into the must-not-lose category for the Warriors.

Stenny have played well in spells across the past six matches but our inability to keep a clean sheet is a concern, and I think there's an expectation that the team has to score two or three times every game to have any chance of winning. We've lost some comedic goals in recent weeks to Elgin City and Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic, while Tommy Goss' equaliser for Annan Athletic at the weekend was the most deflating moment of the season so far. Even then, we only began playing well when they were reduced to 10 men after 30 minutes.

Poor defending cost us badly against Stirling earlier in the season, with a horrorshow from Dan Higgins and a calamity from Clangers Brennan gifting the first and second goals in a 3-0 rout. I didn't think the Binos were all that impressive that afternoon, despite the scoreline, but they've improved dramatically and there seems to be threats all across the pitch. I noticed that four of their six goals against Dumbarton came from set-pieces - this is an obvious concern, as we're terrible at defending corners and free-kicks, with Brennan offering very little assurance. I'm not sure how we address this in the short term but I'm sure Stephen Swift has already given it some thought.

Will Callum Yeats and Mikey Miller be available for the weekend? We missed Miller on Saturday and I think he would have given a far more disciplined performance at right-wingback than Ross Philp. Will Liam Brown be available? There's a lack of clarity over whether or not he can play. I don't think we'll deviate too much from the side that started against Annan:

- Tam Orr - Matty Yeats -

- Euan O'Reilly - Adam Brown - Nat Wedderburn - Ross Forbes - Mikey Miller -

- Adam Corbett - Nicky Jamieson - Sean Crighton -

- Conor Brennan -

I don't see why we can't win Saturday's match but our late collapse and Stirling's recent performances have spooked me. I'd be glad for a point, all things considered.

[BB_Bino]

This is certainly tee'd up to be a cracker of a match, that I'll sadly miss, and I am sure a big Away support will once again descend on Ochilview, after our bumper Home attendance last Saturday.

Last Saturday's emphatic win against Dumbarton came at a cost though, with Robert Thompson, Jack Leitch and Kai Fotheringham all having to be replaced due to injuries and quite possibly all 3 being a doubt for this game. Everyone associated with the club will have everything crossed though, as all 3 have been a part of all that is good over the last couple of months and would be a huge loss going into such a big game.

As FF mentioned above, Stenny were absolutely woeful in the game at Forthbank earlier in the season, and I doubt we will have the luck of them being so bad again this time around, however in the grand scheme of things, we have been playing well, scoring all types of goals and.....touch wood.....have cut out the individual errors that had cost us really early doors, so we should go into the much confident of a positive result. 

[WC Boggs]

The last game at Forthbank I regard as a one off for Stenny.  They gave themselves a mountain to climb early on.  We'll have to be well up for it to get 3 points this time at Ochilview.  As unpredictable a clash as they come.

[Binos]

I predict a stirling victory 

[Neilly]

Agreed I wouldn't read too much into the last game we were a goal and a man down after 4 minutes on the hottest day of the year. The game effectively done as a contest. Stirling done what they had to do on the day without really showing us too much attacking flare. 

Both teams have obviously improved a lot since then. Kai Fotheringham seems to have added that real attacking bright spark to the Albion attack along with probably the best partnership in the league this season in Thomson and Carrick.

We have since changed formation to a back three. It hasn't really tightened us up much as we continue to ship goals but we can score goals from all over the park that's for sure. You have to fancy both teams to net in this one.

Hopefully we have Miller, Liam Brown and Yeats back as we looked short on quality and numbers last week in the squad and I wouldn't fancy us taming this Albion team just now without out strongest players available.

[BinoBalls]

Sounds like a lot could come down to who's injured for each side.  We have a fair few doubts to key players.  Leitch got stretchered off last week so I'm assuming he won't play.  If we're missing one of Fotheringham or Thomson then that's a real blow.  However if they're *both* out then that really weakens us.  We've been a different team since Kai Fotheringham came in, and our back up striker for Thomson is nowhere near as good.  

I'd probably take a draw if offered it right now.

[StewartyMac]

Really looking forward to this one. Behind the goals at Stenny is a reminder of a bygone age of watching football, and as we will probably bring a bumper crowd along, it could be bouncing. Right old school. 

As for the game, despite our recent great run, I'd happily take a point, although there is real incentive to go top of the league with a win and another Dumbarton capitulation. To think they were ten points clear only a few weeks ago. 

Injuries are going to be key here. If all three of Leitch, Fotheringham, and Thomson are out, I think a point's as good as it gets and even then, I'm not hopeful. All three have been excellent this season, particularly Kai, who's clearly a level above everyone else. Would love to keep him past January, but there's bound to be teams further up the leagues who would benefit from his services. 

With both teams having somewhat shoddy defences, I reckon it's a banker for your both teams to score coupon. 

Cue a 0-0 draw then...

[headthebaw]

There’s only one thing guaranteed…

…there’ll be no pies left at half time

[Dumb yatt]

4 hours ago, headthebaw said:

There’s only one thing guaranteed…

…there’ll be no pies left at half time

Salivating at the thought of a Bobbie Brown pie. Bearing in mind Ochilveiw is about to be hit by a red tsunami. Warriors could don pinny’s and keep us feed.

[Dumb yatt]

This is not a must win game. Early days in the campaign and all teams will continue to drop points. DY may blood fresh players ?? Look forward to seeing our ball players on plastic.

To avoid any confusion, Stirling dressing room, will be playing for a win.

[Vimto90]

Unfortunately that's us, the inevatibility of it is frustrating. We don't have the fight, manager or mentality to be in with a chance of the title. Today was going to be telling for how our season was going to go and we got the answer.

I despise when managers have a chance to proactively affect the game but chose not to. Stirling score and Orr comes on straight away. Sewell on 10-15mins too late.

On the actual balance of play a draw would have been "fair" but we are losers.

Good support through from Albion, decent enough atmosphere & they will have a wonderful night I'm sure.

[Hard Graft]

Swift does not have a clue when to make a substitution or who to substitute.

[Nigel Blackwell]

Unfortunately that's us, the inevatibility of it is frustrating. We don't have the fight, manager or mentality to be in with a chance of the title. Today was going to be telling for how our season was going to go and we got the answer.

I despise when managers have a chance to proactively affect the game but chose not to. Stirling score and Orr comes on straight away. Sewell on 10-15mins too late.

On the actual balance of play a draw would have been "fair" but we are losers.

Good support through from Albion, decent enough atmosphere & they will have a wonderful night I'm sure.

Agree with a lot of this, particularly the inevitability of it. A draw would have been fair and on the balance we looked the more likely to win it; but it wasn’t a surprise when they got the late winner. Given the significance of the game today, did anyone really expect us to take three points today?

[warriors21]

Today confirms to me that Swift is not up to the job.  He appears tactically inept and I think his time is up.

 

The first half hour was awful and there could’ve been any of at least 4 players taken off at the break, yet it took until 70 minutes for a change and that only came about as Higgins couldn’t continue due to injury.

 

The three changes that were made were questionable too.  Walker for Higgins meant we had to shuffle our back line yet it was clear we needed legs in the middle of the park.  Sewell for Yates with only 10 minutes to go was baffling and then throwing Orr for Philp immediately after conceding the second goal to chase the game summed up his lack of game plan.

 

Too many of our players underperformed and our body language was negative and defeatist even from early on.  We don’t appear to have a style of play and we can’t defend well as a team.  Right now we’re a team of soft losers without a plan, and we’re being led by someone who still doesn’t know his best team or formation despite us nearly being one third of the way through the season.

 

Swift out.

[BinoBalls]

Aren’t Stenhousemuir missing 2 very good players on loan from Queen’s Park? Once they both get in the team that could be a game changer.
 

Yes your manager doesn’t sound like he’s the next Pep Guardiola but I still think your team should be stronger than every other team on paper and you’re still right in the title race, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. 

[Goethe]

Really disappointing to lose 3-1, but the lack of flexibility from Swift is even more worrying. The Beanos are decent and I’d have been happy enough with the draw. This only starting to play once we lose a soft 1st half goal is a bad habit. Brennan is calamitous every time he has more than a split second to think and his kicking must frustrate the life out of his teammates. O’Reilly had some decent runs once he got going, but his petulant yellow card was ridiculous. Good atmosphere there today: the wee Warriors ‘ultras’ must’ve clocked up about 100 miles between them pacing sullenly back and forth along the front of the stand… [emoji1787]

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

Disappointed with Swift today, that game was there to be won.  Despite us playing pretty poorly, we were still in it but were far too slow to change things. Thought Anderson should've been introduced at half-time for another unsurprising poor Ross Forbes performance. It was a match that we needed the ball turned over in midfield, especially as Jamieson found himself being pulled forward and got caught a few times.

 I noticed today that Brennan can't jump and I wasnt the only one. Stirling kept testing Brennan with high crosses right on top of him. He continues to baffle me with his performances. His lack of confidence, terrible distribution, poor positioning, lack of presence in the box are hard viewing, yet he loves going for a Hollywood dive. Very frustrating. 

 Higgins got caught under 3 long balls within 5 minutes, that cost us the first goal. He got turned so many times and his passing is poor, wrong weight often put on the ball which doesn't help anyone. 

Ross Forbes......Nice new boots. Should be polishing them from the bench.

Walker comes on off the bench, gives the ball away three or four times and couldn't find a pass. Totally out of form but yet is always pissing himself laughing as he comes off the park. Frustrating.

Delighted that big Nat got his first goal, done brilliant to get to the ball and fire it home. Thought he was decent today.

Swift needs to get stuck into these players promptly and find some determination.

Stirling probably deserved something from the game in all fairness and they got the 3 points. Great away support too, although a lot of trouble from both sets of fans on the way home. 

[Arab_R_us]

Well done Stirling and Kai

[StewartyMac]

Thought the score flattered us today, a point would have been the fairest result, but hey, we took our chances  when it mattered. The celebration at the 3rd goal was the best I've experienced in many, many years. Everyone was going tonto, glorious. 

 

What a day. Thanks again to Stenny, begind the goals is still one of THE greatest experiences in the lower leagues. 

 

Top

Of

The

League.......

Edited October 15, 2022 by StewartyMac

[WC Boggs]

I  wasn't sure how this would go at all due to the likelihood of Stenny going 3 at the back again.  On the one hand a packed midfield could give us problems. On the other playing 3 at the back seemed risky.  Just delighted we won at a tough place to go.