The Warriors received their first league defeat of the season as we were defeated 4-2 at home to Dumbarton
The Warriors welcomed Dumbarton to Ochilview as we were looking to build on our 2-0 victory away at East Fife. The visitors themselves were looking to build on their 3-1 victory against Forfar last Saturday.
The Warriors were on the front foot from minute 1 having 2 early chances. Some quick feet from Taylor who found Yates who played in Aitken to take a shot, but his effort was well saved by Brett Long in the Sons goal. A minute later, the Warriors broke on the counter. Matty Aitken found his strike partner Matty Yates, but his effort was deflected wide for a corner.
The Warriors had another big chance when O’Reilly wrong footed the defender, his effort was blocked and out for a corner and Bilham’s long range effort is well held.
Dumbarton came into the match on 14 minutes, a well worked short corner that was crossed into the box found Sean Crighton who’s header found the back of the net and gave Dumbarton the lead against his former club.
The opening goal was the start of a really good and clinical spell for the visitors that saw Ross MacLean get 2 goals in 2 minutes on the half hour mark. He slammed home the rebound after Jameson parried Hilton’s volley. A solo run into the box saw him pick up his second and Dumbarton’s third in the match.
Stenhousemuir thought they had equalised when Euan O’Reilly fired home the rebound after Ross Taylor’s tricky run, but it was ruled out for offside.
Dumbarton added a fourth just before half time after Hilton scored a tap in from a cross by Pignatiello after his run down the right win.
Even though the Warriors had a mountain to climb, they came out fighting in the second half, they were rewarded with a penalty within 10 minutes of the restart. Ross Taylor’s darting run into the box from a wide position saw him be fouled by Lynas. Up stepped Matthew Aitken to send Long the wrong way and get his first goal for the club.
The new stricter laws on gamesmanship and timewasting meant that referee, Duncan Williams had a busy day dishing cards. A total of 11 bookings and one red were shown. Pignatiello was sent off with 10 minutes to play for two yellow cards. Both bookings were for time wasting.
Matty Yates though he had opened his league account for the season when his strike from outside the box bounced off the post in the dying stages of the match.
Matthew Aitken got himself a brace in the 97th minute when a Ross Taylor cross found him inside the box, and he was on hand to tap home from close range.
We will be hoping to bounce back from the disappoint result as we travel to the capital to take on The Spartans next Saturday.
Starting XI | D Jamieson, Meechan. Bilham, N Jamieson, Buchanan, Taylor, Berry, Wedderburn, O’Reilly, Yates, Aitken
Subs | Lyle, Sweenie-Rowe [Meechan 88′], Brown [Berry 60?], Lynch [Bilham 88?], Kirkpatrick [Wedderburn 68?], Anderson [O’Reilly 60′]
Man of the Match | Ross Taylor
Attendance | 463
Match Report by Angus Blacklock
