Stenhousemuir Women FC vs Westdyke

Match Report

On the back of a great win away to Grampian last week, the Warriors are at home this week as Westdyke take the long trip down the A90. The Warriors came into this game with 13 points from their opening 6 games and sit level with todays opposition although Westdyke have a game in hand.

Jack Cameron’s squad was looking thin today as a couple of midweek injuries contributed to him being without 6 players for todays match. 3 Trialists helped fill out the numbers as had 14 players for the game. Harkness started in goals while wingers Richard-Campbell and Kelly started as full backs. Sullivan, Jones and Vickerman joined them in the centre of defense while 2 Trialists made up the centre midfield, bolstered by Jude Connolly and Eirinn Maguire on the right and left hand side while Samantha Montgomery started as the lone striker upfront. Pearson, Phee and a third Trialist started on the bench.

The game started off well. Both teams challenging for the ball in the middle of the park with no one really getting any real chances in the opening 15 minutes.

YELLOW CARD: Lucy Sullivan is the first into the referee’s book as she blocks a throw in.

Montgomery almost gets a shot on goal after Kelly lays her in with a great ball but Houston for Westdyke is able to knock out for a corner.

The away team Westdyke win a freekick in the attacking 3rd. Its layed off for Cochrane to take a shot but Harkness had it covered.

Westdyke start growing into the game as they begin to find a little bit of space in behind the defense. A long through ball feeds in the winger who manages to get into the box and have a shot, but Harkness gets down well to cover it. The Westdyke winger picks up the rebound but is crowded out, before she flashes it across goal. No one is able to get on the end of it though and the ball is eventually cleared.

GOAL WESTDYKE: A poor throw in from the Warriors in the last dying seconds of the half set Westdyke off on the counter. They manage to get the ball down the right wing and lay it off to Cochrane who is waiting on the edge of the box and she finds the back of the net. [Cochrane 45’+2]

HALFTIME : STENHOUSEMUIR 0-1 WESTDYKE

SUBSTITUTION: Kelly is withdrawn at halftime and is replaced by a Trialist 1.

A quick series of passes allows the Warriors to get up the pitch but a stray pass from Montgomery allows Westdyke to break on the counter. A series of runs and passes allows them a shot on the right wing but Harkness is able to make the save before Sullivan clears the ball out for a corner.

GOAL WESTDYKE: The ball is crossed in from the corner, then passed back out before being crossed in again, catching Harkness out with the bounce, it finds Ferries at the back post who does enough to get the ball over the line. [Ferries 52′]

SUBSTITUTION: Lucy Sullivan is removed and is replaced by Carolanne Phee.

The Warriors seem to have disapeared in the game for a good 10 minute spell. They manage a chance for one of the Trialists on the outside of the box but its not enough to trouble the Westdyke keeper.

YELLOW CARD: Carolanne Phee goes into the referees book for a poorly timed challenge.

A chance for the Warriors as the Trialist finds herself through on goal but the ref pulls it back for an offside. Quite a few players left confused by the call as it appears she was onside though.

SUBSTITUTION: Montgomery makes way for Chloe Pearson.

GOAL STENHOUSEMUIR: A poor freekick from Westdyke finds its way to Rachel Vickerman who hits a long ball through the middle and finds the Trialist, she takes on the keeper and slots it into the bottom corner. [Trialist 1 87′]

GOAL WESTDYKE: Lind picks up the ball, takes on Phee and pokes the ball into the net from the byline. Vickerman almost manages to clear it off the line but is too late. [Lind 89′]

FULL TIME: STENHOUSEMUIR 1-3 WESTDYKE

POST MATCH INTERVIEW

We spoke to the Head Coach Jack Cameron after the match to get his reaction.

Can you sum up how you are feeling after the game? 

“Frustrated to be honest. There wasn’t alot we can take away from the game. It was flat, just a bit boring. Fair play to Westdyke they came over and done a job on us. They were hard to break down and they took their chances when they got them. We were just flat today. Thats probably the best way describe it.”

What about the trialists? Any movement on that front? 

Trialist 1 done well today. She took her chance well when she got it because there wasnt alot going for her, we didnt create alot of chances but she did make a difference. Trialist 2 has been with us for a long time. Shes been with us for about as long as I have been here in pre-season but she has been really unfortunate with injuries. She played out of position today and probably a couple of weeks too early (in her recovery), the same with Trialist 3 who hasn’t played since March. This wasn’t a game I wanted to throw them straight into. If we had a bit more depth I would have ideally left them for a few more weeks and get them back into training but we had a lot of injuries so we had to get them in. They ran themselves into the ground and got a good 90 minutes into the legs. Not much else we can take from it.”

A cup game against Rossvale next week. What do you say to the players now heading into that game?

“On paper nobody is expecting anything because they are in the top end of the league above, but we’re going to have a go and see if we can win the game. It gives us a bit of a distraction and a week away from the league. We will go in, give it a go and take the game to them. We’ll try and attack them and see what happens. Then in the following week we’ll head up to Aberdeen for the return leg of today’s fixture and try and correct what happened here today.”