Stenhousemuir FC v Arbroath

Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Arbroath at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 16.11.13
SPFL Division One  Att 469
Stenhousemuir 3 [Lynch 49, Malone 73, Douglas 79] Arbroath 2 [Travis 64, Erwin 83]
With no less than 15 goals in the two meetings between Stenhousemuir and Arbroath this season the fans were looking forward to a thriller at Ochilview in this encounter.
It looked though as if the goals had dried up for both teams in a first half that was bordering on tedium at best. There was little to note in the first 45 minutes apart from an unfortunate injury to Ross Brash who limped off with a suspected broken foot after landing awkwardly. This brought Bryan Hodge into the game earlier than expected after his absence through injury had curtailed recent outings.
There were also two bookings in the first period for Stenhousemuir with Eddie Malone and Ross Smith going into the book as did Arbroath’s Michael Travis who was having his own personal battle with John Gemmell and was cautioned for obstruction.
There was a strong blustery wind throughout most of the game which in the rain made conditions difficult for both teams. Stenhousemuir had the perceived advantage in the first half with the wind behind them but only had a Hodge strike that was deflected for a corner to show for it. Arbroath looked the more dangerous and they at least had a shot on target when Chris Scott had a soft effort that Chris Smith had to save and Lee Erwin also headed wide from close range.
The first half was best forgotten but there was more action in the second and the Warriors took the lead in the 49th minute. A Malone free kick was only headed out to Hodge who played the ball across to Sean Lynch who struck a first time shot from the edge of the box that went over Scott Morrison in the Arbroath goal and into the net as the keeper did his best impression of a dying swan. Two minutes later Gemmell and Travis clashed and both could have easily been cautioned but the referee decided not to take any action. Travis was to make the most of his reprieve when he scored the equaliser in the 64th minute heading home a Bobby Linn corner after the visitors had a series of corners in a row.
Sean Lynch tested Morrison with a run and shot that the keeper tipped over in the 71st minute. From the corner the keeper did well to push a Ross McMillan header for another corner. This time he was found wanting though as Eddie Malone somehow scored direct from the corner striking the ball high enough to go in at the far post beating the defender who was on the post to stop any eventuality. It has to be said that it is rare enough to score direct from a corner but to do so against the wind is even rarer.
Stenhousemuir were buoyed by this goal and they almost extended their lead in  the 76th minute when the ball broke to Gemmell and he unleashed a powerful shot that Morrison did well to save. The third goal was not long coming though as they scored in the 79th minute, Gemmell flicked the ball onto Errol Douglas, who had just entered the fray, inside the centre circle and with the Arbroath defence pushing up to try and catch him offside he strode forwards rounding the keeper before tucking the ball into the net/
Stenhousemuir being Stenhousemuir don’t win games easily and they contributed to Arbroath getting back into the game in the 83rd minute. Ross Smith misjudged a kick out by Morrison heading the ball behind himself and Lee Erwin latched onto it before cutting inside and firing a shot into the far side of the net. This was almost a carbon copy of his strike at Gayfield earlier in the season.
At the game wound into stoppage time there was a major let off for the Warriors when a long range effort by Alan Cook moved in the air and possibly a deflection, that caught Chris Smith out and the keeper could only touch the ball onto the post before gratefully collecting the rebound. There was therefore a collective sigh of relief when the final whistle blew with the Warriors victorious by the odd goal in five.
Stenhousemuir – C.Smith, R.Smith, McKinlay, Malone, McMillan, Brash [Hodge 10], Dickson [Ferguson 70], Rowson, Gemmell, Lynch, and McNeil [Douglas 78]. Subs not used – Devlin, Shaw, Watt and Kouider-Aissa.
Arbroath – Morrison, Donaldson, Lindsay [Yao 83], Scott [Sibanda 66], Travis, Hamilton, Linn, Chisholm, Erwin, Cook and Sheerin [Bayne 78]. Subs not used – Milne, Banjo, D.Smith and Wilson
Referee – Barry Cook Assistants – James Campbell and Peter Stuart