Stenhousemuir vs Queen’s Park

Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Stenhousemuir v Queens Park at Ochilview Park Stenhousemuir on 2.11.19

SPFL Ladbrokes League Two                         Att 646

Stenhousemuir 0 Queens Park 3 [Kouider-Aissa 31, McGrory 49, Galt 71]

Stenhousemuir – Smith, O’Neil [Halleran 72], Armstrong, Dykes, Scullion [b89] , Hopkirk, McLaughlin, M.Munro [McGuigan 60], McBride, A.Munro [b78] and Gibson. Subs not used – Marley, Anderson and Watters.

Queens Park – Muir, Mortimer, Summers, Little, Jamieson [b48], Clark, Lidouren, Main, Kouider-Aissa, Galt [Moore 89] and McGrory. Subs not used – Trialist, Agyeman, Purdue, Thomson, Gibson and Foy.

Referee – Chris Fordyce                     Assistants – Ross Haswell and Ross Clark

When the final whistle had blown on the last game at Ochilview their was an air of optimism as the Warriors had won back to back games against the previously unbeaten Cove Rangers and League of Ireland Waterford.

These games though already looked to be a distant memory as they had been followed by two dreadful performances against Penicuik and Edinburgh City with the belief apparently disappearing like the air from a punctured balloon.

This set the scene for this league game against Queens Park who were also in the doldrums having failed to win in the league in the previous eight games.

Manager David Irons made several changes to the side though one was enforced with Alan Cook suspended after his dismissal at Edinburgh earlier in the week.  Jordan Armstrong who was making his debut was one of the players brought in to the starting eleven alongside Connor McBride, Dylan Dykes and Liam Scullion.

The visitors made changes as well Tommy Block was out with concussion whilst three others dropped to the bench and Creag Little, Billy Mortimer, Cameron Clark and Luke Main came to the fore.

It took both sides a while to get going but once the game had settled down it was Queens who were on top though neither keeper was tested in the early encounters. In the 25^th minute though the visitors showed a potential threat when a Calvin McGrory free-kick clipped the top of the bar as it went into the terracing.

On the half hour though, the visitors took the lead. It was a simply executed goal with a Ciaran Summers corner headed home by Salim Kouider-Aissa. The defending at corners in recent games has been alarming to say the least and it was no surprise that eventually the goal came via this route.  What was just as worrying though was the lack of a positive response to this setback,

The Spiders grew in confidence after this and they could have doubled their lead before the break. McGrory saw a shot deflected onto the roof of the net in the last minute of the first half. The danger though was not fully averted though as from the subsequent corner an unchallenged Nicky Jamieson powered a header just wide.

The second half started poorly once again for the home side and they found themselves a further goal in arrears when David Galt  picked out McGrory who fired the ball into the net. Andy Munro did come with a powerful header two minutes later but Queens keeper Willie Muir was not to be troubled for the rest of the match with the home side failing to register a shot on target in the entire game.

At the other end there was a remarkable escape after Graeme Smith made a superb one handed stop from Galt that then hit Andy Munro  before going just past the post. Galt though was to have the final say scoring the third goal in the 71^st minute lashing a shot home from just inside the box.