Match Report: Stenhousemuir 2-0 Forfar Athletic

The Warriors were looking to make it 4 undefeated as they welcomed Forfar to Ochilview for the 2nd time this season.

This fixture has been favourable to Stenhousemuir this season with a draw and a victory against today’s visitors, including a first half Boxing Day demolition which saw braces for both Ross Forbes and Adam Corbett as 4 first half goals helped secure the 3 points.

Euan O’Reilly picked up a training injury and missed out. Ross Forbes came in to replace the former Airdrie man. Mikey Anderson was moved to the tip of the midfield diamond with Forbes taking up the right position.

It took just 6 minutes for The Warriors to have their first goalmouth action. A long throw by Mikey Anderson was met near the front post by Sean Crighton. His shot was on target, but was held by Sanderson.

It was the visitors that picked up the first corner of the afternoon. The in swinger was met by Crighton with the Forfar attack failing to capitalise. This lead to a breakaway with Tam Orr laying off to Robert Thomson just inside the home half his run and lay off back to Tam was almost identical to their link up play last week which earned a goal. This time though, as Tam was through on goal he seemed to be cleaned out by the keeper. The referee was right on the spot though and was not interested, though Tam didn’t seem to appeal for a penalty.

Forfar eventually had their first, and only, shot on target on the 20 minute mark. Some fine work on the wing by Stef McCluskey saw him pick up a decent shooting position on the corner of the box. His low drive was met by Peter Urminsky as the ball went out for a corner, which came to nothing.

GOAL: It was just 5 minutes later that The Warriors took the lead from their own corner. Ross Forbes floated the ball in and an attempted clearance landed right at Robert Thomson at the back post and the big striker made no mistake in tapping the ball home for his first goal since his return from injury. STENHOUSEMUIR 1-0 FORFAR [Robert Thomson, 26 minutes]

The Warriors had a chance to double their lead just 6 minutes later. A short header back was met by Tam Orr. His lob over the keeper was just wide and couldn’t get the follow up on target. Big chance, but the score remains 1-0.

Forfar’s chances were few and far between, though they did come close inside 38 minutes with Slater shooting just over the bar from the edge of the box. And indeed, that was the last real chance for either team in the first half.

HALF TIME: STENHOUSEMUIR 1-0 FORFAR ATHLETIC 

The second half almost started in disaster for The Warriors. A wild back pass from Ross Forbes was never going to reach Peter Urminsky, though luckily the ball just swerved away from the Forfar attack, and no real damage was done.

GOAL: Although it was Forfar that came out the traps a bit sharper in the second half, it was the home side that quickly doubled their advantage. a Callum Yates clearance was met inside his own half by Thomo. His driving run ended with a layoff to Tam Orr who then spotted Adam Corbett dashing up the pitch. The inch perfect pass was met first time by the big defender and he made no mistake in guiding it passed Sanderson and into the back of the net. You’d have to say that the keeper should’ve been saving that, but its’s Adam’s third of the season, all three coming against Forfar! STENHOUSEMUIR 2-0 FORFAR [Adam Corbett, 51 minutes]

That pretty much killed off the game and Forfar struggled to break down the home defence. Nicky Jamieson continued to be a man mountain at the centre of defence and Forfar had no solution for the big man.

Tam Orr did have a chance for his first of the game as he got on the end of an excellent pass by Mikey Miller. The on-form striker won’t want to watch that one back though.

Throughout the match, the midfield quartet of Miller, Forbes, Wedderburn and Anderson have been immense and Forfar have struggled to deal with them. Mikey Anderson has really come into his own during this fine run and seemed to naturally slot into the tip of the midfield diamond.

The one negative for the home side was watching big Nat Wedderburn hobble off, but not before he managed to twist and turn and leave 2 Forfar players watching in awe as the big man ran passed them as if they weren’t even there!

FULL TIME: STENHSOUEMUIR 2-0 FORFAR ATHLETIC