Stenhousemuir vs Annan Athletic

Match Report

MATCH REPORTS
Stenhousemuir v Annan Athletic at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 11.5.19
Ladbrokes SPFL League One Play Off Semi-final Second Leg Att 794
Stenhousemuir 1 [Marsh 37] Annan Athletic 2 [Bradley 10, Swinglehurst 73]

Stenhousemuir – Smith, Reid, Donaldson, Breadner [Halleran 76], Marsh, Ferry, McGuigan, Cook [b47], Dickson, Munro [Neill 68][b70]and, Hurst [b60]. Subs not used – McMinn, Gibbons, McMenamin, Dingwall and Watters .

Annan Athletic – Mitchell, Brannan [Moxon 65], Strapp, Wilson, Sonkur [Watson 89], Swinglehurst, Wallace, Bradley, Smith [Fergusson 78], Muir and Johnston [b61]. Subs – McAdams, Creaney and Nade

Referee – David Munro Assistants – Paul O’Neill and Brian Templeton Fourth Official – Lloyd Wilson

The Warriors went into this game with a two goal deficit and it was important that they got off to a good start in this game to apply any pressure to the Annan ranks. Stenhousemuir saw Greg Hurst, Mark Ferry and Cameron Breadner come into the starting eleven with Breadner starting for the first time this season. Morgyn Neill, Russell Dingwall and Kieran Gibbons dropping to the bench.

Annan had been forced to make an unexpected change when Scott Hooper pulled up in the warm up to be replaced by Jack Brannan whilst Tommy Muir and Kyle Bradley came in for Christian Nade and Owen Moxon respectively.

Alan Cook struck the crossbar in the opening exchanges and if that had went in who knows what would have happened. It was not to be though and Annan also struck the frame of the goal through a Chris Johnston effort.

As it was though Annan were the team that got the first and all important goal to give them a comfortable cushion for most of the game when Bradley smashed home a Johnston corner in the 10th minute. This was the
second time that Annan had taken an early lead in the two legs and once again it gave them a cushion and a platform to build on for the rest of the game. Cameron Breadner tried to get the Warriors back into the game with a shot that flashed just wide a couple of minutes later after creating an opportunity for himself. The on-loan Buddie will have felt that he should have done better with another chance that fell his way in the 17th minute when he blasted an effort over from close range.
Graeme Smith kept some interest in the tie with a superb save to deny Aidan Smith in the 26th minute and that could have been vital when the Warriors but they got back on level terms for this game in the 37th minute when David Marsh converted at the back post following a driven cross by Breadner after a patient build up.

A Greg Hurst volley was then comfortably saved by Alex Mitchell and in the last minute of the half a fine tackle by Steven Swinglehurst denied Alan Cook a goalscoring opportunity.

Just after the resumption Cook went down in the box only to be cautioned for simulation. Hurst and Cook then combined at a short corner that caught Annan off guard but Hurst’s curled strike went just wide of the target. Just after the hour Chris Johnston was booked for time-wasting as he took the slowing down of the game just too far in the view of the referee. Indeed throughout much of the game the visitors dictated the tempo of the match with their game management much to the ire of the home support and players who were to become more frustrated as the game progressed. Although with a game of this magnitude it was understandable and it the score had been reversed it could have been Stenhousemuir who were slowing the game down.

Not that Annan were just shutting up shop as they were always a threat on the break and they were to get their second goal of the game in the 73rd minute through another corner kick when Swinglehurst connected from close range to seal the tie and yo put Annan in the League One Play-off Final. For Stenhousemuir though their destiny was to go back down to League Two once again.