Peterhead v Stenhousemuir FC

Match Report

Peterhead 3 [Redman 16, McAllister 37, Noble 43]  Stenhousemuir 0

Peterhead – Smith, Kerr, Noble, Gilchrist, Strachan, Blockley [McIntosh 50], Dzierawski, Redman, McAllister, Sutherland [Rodgers 70] and Brown [Ferries 63]. Subs not used – Jarvie, Stevenson, Riley, McIntosh and Ross

Stenhousemuir – Barclay, McCormack, Meechan, Malcolm, Paterson [Millar 76], Robertson, Gilhaney, Stirling [Marenghi 87], McShane [Eddington 11], Mazana and Cook Subs not used – Shaw, McCroary and Craigie.

Referee – Alan Muir        Assistants – Gavin Harris and Ivan Stankovic

The Warriors went to Peterhead with a number of personnel missing through injury or suspension but were boosted by the inclusion of Jim Paterson who was trying to get back into the game after retiring at the end of last season after leaving Dunfermline Athletic. This meant a more balanced defence with Ross Meechan replacing the injured Euan Murray in the middle. Up front Jon McShane made a rare start after being dogged by injury but it was his and the club’s misfortune to see him limp off the field after 11 minutes play when he pulled up going for a Jamie McCormack pass that had opened up the home defence and gave the striker a clear sight at goal.

There was little between the teams in the opening exchanges but Peterhead took the lead in the 16^th minute. A Kevin Dzierawski corner was ineffectually punched by Jamie Barclay and it was headed back into the danger area for Jamie Redman to head home. It took until the 31^st minute before Graeme Smith was called upon at the other end to save a Jon Robertson shot from distance that although accurate lacked power.

The Warriors inability to defend at corners cost them dear in this game and Peterhead extended their lead in the 37^th minute. Rory McAllister set up Jordon Brown and Barclay made a fine stop. From the resultant corner though taken by Steven Noble the keeper was beaten to the ball by McAllister who headed home. Protests that a foul had taken place were waived away.

If that was not bad enough the home side went three up in the 43^rd minute and once again a corner from Noble was the catalyst. Brown saw a header saved but the ball was placed back across goal to Noble who shot into the far corner of the net.

In the last minute of the half Carlos Mazana saw a shot saved and Graeme Smith was able to save the rebound from Fraser Eddington as well. A goal at that stage could have made a difference but as it was a three goal margin at half time proved to be too much to claw back.

Stenhousemuir had more possession in the second half but the build up in the main was slow and lacked that injection of pace to breech the Peterhead defence. When the play was a bit quicker there were chances as shown in the 51^st minute when Mazana made a decent run but once again his shot was saved. The best chance came on the hour though when Alan Cook was picked out by Mazana but he took a heavy touch and Smith was alert to clear. In the main though Peterhead were proving hard to break down but there was a chance in the 77^th minute when a Ryan Strachan pass caught in a divot and Eddington picked the loose ball up and fired in a decent shot that was pushed out by Smith. Towards the end of the game Barclay showed his qualities as a shot stopper to deny McAllister who had struck a fierce dipping effort. In the end though Peterhead wouldn’t have minded too much as they had already secured the game in the first half.