Dundee v Stenhousemuir FC

Match Report

Dundee v Stenhousemuir at Dens Park, Dundee on 7.9.13

Ramsdens Cup Quarter Finals                    Att  1,615

Dundee                1 [McDonald 51] Stenhousemuir 1 [Higgins 62]

Stenhousemuir won 5-4 on penalties [Dundee – McDonald, Lockwood, Boyle, Irvine] [Stenhousemuir – C.Smith, Rowson, Ferguson, Douglas, Lynch]

The last time that the clubs had met in the competition was in 2010 when the Warriors were victorious 4-1 and they also have good memories of trips to Dens as they won at the quarter final stage in 1995/96 season when they went on to win the competition. Their most recent meeting at Dens though in 1996/97 season saw the home side victorious.

The Warriors support was housed in the Bob Shankley stand , one of the few if not the only one named after a Stenhousemuir trainer or manager. Though it was more for his exploits at Dens Park that the stand was named. He would have been proud of his first charges though as their descendants caused the shock of the round by knocking out the highest rated team in the competition.

Stenhousemuir made two changes to the team that beat Forfar the previous week and both were enforced as Ross Smith and Eddie Malone were both suspended. This meant that Nicky Devlin returned to the right back berth whilst David Rowson dropped back to the central defensive role and this meant that Craig Anderson took his place in the midfield.

Stenhousemuir showed their intent at the start of the game attacking wherever possible and they could have opened the scoring in the second minute when Sean Higgins picked out Sean Dickson with a weighted pass but Dickson fired over the bar as he was put under pressure. The home side appeared to suffer a blow when ex-Stenhousemuir trialist Carlo Monti left the field with concussion after only seven minutes but his replacement Nicky Riley was one of the more threatening Dundee players as the game progressed. In the 11^th minute Kevin McKinlay won the ball in his own half and after a swift move a Darren Smith cross was just missed by John Gemmell. Dundee showed their threat a minute later and James McAlister could have scored with a diving header but missed the target. There was another escape in 23 minutes when a Gavin Rae effort was blocked by his own player and he fired the rebound over when he should have hit the target.

Stenhousemuir created the best chance so far in the 33^rd minute when Sean Dickson passed to John Gemmell and his powerful header was tingertipped onto the bar by Kyle Letheren. Gemmell then just failed once again to get on the end of a Ross McMillan header as the Warriors tried to get ahead before the interval. It was Dundee that came closest though when McAlister played the ball behind the Stenhousemuir defence for Peter McDonald but he was thwarted by a superb one handed save by Chris Smith.  Stenhousemuir almost sneaked it though when Sean Higgins and Gemmell combined to play in Dickson in stoppage time but he toe poked the ball over from 6 yards.

Dundee started the second half far better than the first and there was a let off for Stenhousemuir two minutes after the resumption when Peter McDonald rattled a shot off the crossbar. He was to get on the score sheet in the 51^st minute though as he converted a penalty after McAlister was tripped in the box by Craig Anderson. There then followed a tricky spell for Stenhousemuir and Dundee could have quite easily extended their lead but they found Chris Smith in fine form.

Stenhousemuir held on though and equalised in the 62^nd minute with a superb strike from the edge of the box by Sean Higgins from a John Gemmell knock down left Letheren stranded.  Dundee could have won the game in the 88^th minute when Gary Irvine struck a powerful drive but once again Chris Smith brought off a superb one handed save to keep the tie level.

 Extra time should have seen Dundee the stronger team as their full time status should have had an effect but apart from a Peter McDonald effort after 102 minutes that was well saved once again by Chris Smith they rarely looked as if they would break the deadlock. It was a strangely lacklustre period with the crowd subdued as well as if they were just waiting on a penalty shootout. Stenhousemuir were not content for that to happen and they created the best chance in the 117^th minute when Errol Douglas picked out John Gemmell in the middle who side footed the ball wide from close range.

So with no further scoring the Warriors went into penalty kicks for the second time in this seasons competition. Dundee took the first one and handed the initiative to Stenhousemuir straight away when Kevin McBride blasted over the bar. The usually deadly John Gemmell then saw his shot saved by Kyle Letheren. The next five penalties were converted with McDonald, Matthew Lockwood and Martin Boyle successful for Dundee and Chris Smith and David Rowson scoring for Stenhousemuir. Ross McNeil then saw his effort saved by Letheren and that meant that Gavin Rae had the chance to put Dundee into the next round. His effort was saved by Smith though and when Brown Ferguson scored the game went into sudden death. Gary Irvine and Errol Douglas scored but Willie Dyer then struck the post and this meant that Sean Lynch had the pressure kick to send Stenhousemuir through and this he did with aplomb to send the players and supporters into celebrations.

Dundee – Letheren, Irvine [b38], Lockwood, Dyer, McBride [b41], MacDonald, Rae [b70], Conroy [Boyle 75], Monti [Riley 7][Benedictus 96], Gallagher and McAlister. Subs not used –  Carberry and Twardzik.

Stenhousemuir – C.Smith, Devlin, McKinlay [b57], Rowson [b75], McMillan, Anderson [Lynch 66], Dickson, Ferguson, Gemmell [b88], Higgins [McNeil 104] and D.Smith [Douglas 66][b106]. Subs not used – Lawson and Shaw.

Referee – John McKendrick        Assistants – Charlie Smith and Dougie Potter.