Hello and welcome back to another edition of Warriors Weekly. It’s been a good start to the calendar year with the men’s first team picking up a league win for the first time in 3 months. Additionally, there’s been a new signing too! Read on to find out more.
MEN’S TEAM
LAST TIME OUT
Stenhousemuir vs Stranraer
It was Gary Naysmith’s first match in charge of the Warriors and he made a few changes from the side that lost at Forthbank to curtail the 2022 calendar year. Conor Brennan, Callum Yeats, Daniel Higgins and Adam Brown all returned to the Starting XI with Jay Cantley, Scott Walker and Will Sewell. Ross Philp was also removed from the starting XI but that’s due to his loan from Kelty Hearts expiring.
The first chance of the match when the home sides way. Adam Brown laid off the ball to Adam Corbett on the right wing. Corbett drove forward, dazzling his way through a few defenders before curling a shot towards goal on his left foot. O’Connor was able to get down to save the shot.
Not long after the Warriors should have found themselves ahead. A free kick was swung in by Matty Yates, finding the head of the unmarked Daniel Higgins. Fortunately for the visitors, Higgin’s header went narrowly wide of the target.
The next chance fell to Stranraer in the 17th minute. The Warriors were caught slacking at the back from a throw-in, allowing James Hilton time to get control of the ball in the box. His shot though was fired well wide.
In the 22nd minute the scoring was opened. The Warriors were awarded a free kick, just outside the visiting box, for a hand ball. Up stepped Matty Yates, who curled the ball round the Blue and White wall, giving the keeper no chance. Stenhousemuir 1-0 Stranraer
It wasn’t long before the next goal, a goal that has left many debating the awarding of it. The visitors were able to break away down the right hand side before firing a cross into the middle. The original header was saved before Josh Walker tapped home the leveller. In the process of saving the header, Conor Brennan was slid into by teammate Nicky Jamieson, rendering the keeper unconscious. Brennan received treatment on the field before being stretchered away. Jay Cantley would come on to replace Brennan. Stenhousemuir 1-1 Stranraer
Following a lengthy spell of delay, with Brennan receiving treatment, it was the Warriors that created the next chance. A pass forward was stopped out by Callum Yeats, with the ball falling to the feet of Euan O’Reilly. The winger drove down the wing before trying to find Thomas Orr in the middle with a cross. The cross was headed away by a defender but fell straight to Matty Yates, who fired the ball off the ground, looping over the head of the keeper and in off the post. With 39 minutes on the clock, it was Stenhousemuir 2-1 Stranraer.
HALF TIME – Stenhousemuir 2-1 Stranraer.
The opening chance of the second period went the visitors way. A ball forward found Scott Robertson on the stand side wing. The Number 2 tried to direct a shot towards goal but the ball ended up inside one of the 5-a-side pods behind the goal.
Stranraer had a lot of the ball in the second half but failed to really test Jay Cantley in the Warriors net. Their next chance came just before the hour mark. A long ball into the box found Sam Ellis but he was unable to steer the ball on target.
The Warriors made a few more changes in the second half. Thomas Orr, Adam Brown, Callum Yeats and Euan O’Reilly were all replaced by Will Sewell, Michael Anderson, Scott Walker and Ross Forbes. O’Reilly’s last involvement before being replaced by Forbes was to find the head of Matty Yates with a cross. Yates’ header though was straight at the Blue’s keeper.
Just after coming on, Ross Forbes had a glorious chance to make it 3-1. A long ball forward by Higgins, found Yates on the right wing. The Number 10 turned his marker before firing a low cross across the face of goal. At first, it looked like Forbes had missed a sitter but on a replay a defender gets the slightest of touches to force the ball away from the number 7.
That would be the last chance of the game. The Warriors pick up 3 points for the first time since beating Bonnyrigg 4-2 at the start of October and it’s a positive start to life under Gary Naysmith.
FULL TIME – Stenhousemuir 2-1 Stranraer
WarriorsTV spoke with Matty Yates and Gary Naysmith following the match. Highlights from the match can be found HERE.
PLAYER UPDATE
An update on Ross Philp and Conor Brennan can be found below.
ROSS PHILP – We can confirm that Ross has returned to Kelty Hearts as his loan term has come to an end. Ross made 12 appearances for The Warriors finding the net once. Thank you Ross and good luck for the rest of the season.
CONOR BRENNAN – Conor was taken by ambulance to Forth Valley Royal Hospital in response to a head injury obtained in Saturday’s match. He has sustained facial injuries and is receiving further scans to identify the severity. Conor tweeted out an update himself, which you can find HERE
Following his injury on Saturday, Conor Brennan underwent surgery yesterday to insert a plate and repair a blowout fracture to the orbit of his eye & broken nose. The surgeon is happy with how the procedure went. All at the club send Conor our best wishes for a full recovery.
NEW SIGNING
Stenhousemuir FC are delighted to announce the signing of Curtis Lyle from Kilmarnock. Curtis joins the Warriors on an 18 month deal, following the expiry of his contract with the Ayrshire club. Lyle spent the first half of the season on loan at East Kilbride.
Lyle is the first signing under Gary Naysmith and comes into the club following the injury to Conor Brennan.
TICKETS FOR LIVINGSTON MATCH
Ticket for our Scottish Cup 4th round match at home to Livingston are now available through the Fanbase app. Tickets are priced at £15 for adults, £10 for concessions and £5 for Under 16s. Tickets can be purchased HERE
Additionally, we have two tables remaining for Hospitality for our Scottish Cup 4th Round Match with Livingston FC on the 21st of January.
Details – bit.ly/SFC-Hosp
UP NEXT
We’re back on the road this Saturday as we make the trip to face East Fife. This will be the fourth time the sides have met this season, with the Warriors unbeaten so far with 2 wins and a draw.
Admission for Saturday’s game is set at £18 for adults, £14 for over 65s & concessions and £5 for under 16s. Please note that there are no cash turnstiles so tickets must be purchased in advance. You can buy your tickets HERE
Parent/Child tickets are available on matchday from reception only (£21 Parent/child or £24 Parent/2children)
The Supporter’s bus leaves Ochilview at 12pm. Seats are available for £20/10. Names to Andy McPhate as normal.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Player Recruitment
AND ANOTHER THING
Tickets for the Scottish Men’s National Team’s matches against England and Spain have sold out. Tickets for the matches against Cyprus, Georgia and Norway can be purchased HERE
