SHIRE 1 STENHOUSEMUIR 1

The latest edition of this long-running derby was certainly no classic, but Shire will be relieved more than anything else to have taken something from the game.

Although the match and the performance wasn't the best the goal which secured a share of the spoils was of the highest quality, but it was at the very limit of what the team deserved on a disappointing afternoon at Firs Park.

Expectation was high before kick-off. The Warriors hadn't won any of their last six games, while Shire had two victories in a row coming into the clash. In addition, skipper Andrew Brand was named in the starting eleven for the first time since breaking his hand in September.

But even with the club's inspirational captain at the heart of midfield, Shire made a very sluggish start.

Before they even had a chance to ease themselves into the encounter they were a goal behind. After just four minutes Stenhousemuir's Ross Hamilton ran unchecked from the centre circle to wide on the left and he crossed for John Dempster to send a looping header over Darren Hill into the back of the net.

It was a huge setback in itself but it could have been much worse not long afterwards. This time John Dillon threaded through a pass to Dempster who was clear through with only the keeper to beat but Hill averted the danger with a brave diving save at his feet.

The Warriors were certainly well worth their lead in the opening half hour as Shire tried, and failed, to carve out a decent opening in response.

But they rose from their slumbers and on 26 minutes Brand forced a superb save with a tunderous drive from 20 yards out.

Five minutes later the Shire captain shaved the outside of the post with a powerful effort from the edge of the box after good work down the left from Savage.

The Shire striker ought to have brought the scores level himself on 40 minutes. Scott Gibb sent in a cross from the right that was impossible for the Warriors defence to deal with, Savage met it at the back post, but he managed to sent his effort just over the bar.

Three minutes after the inerval Derek Ure replaced Ryan Carr with Kevin McBride moving to left-back and Ure given instructions to run at the visitors' defence from wide on the left.

He was in a determined mood and several barnstorming runs ended with crosses which the Stenhousemuir defence were scrambling to clear.

But even though the screw was being tightened there wasn't much in the way of direct goal attempts. The best was a Kevin McBride free-kick from 25 yards away that flew narrowly wide.

Marc McKenzie made his arrival as a substitute for Gordon Moffat to much acclaim and the wee man was busy from the first moment of his arrival trying to stretch the Stenhousemuir defence down the right in the same way as Ure on the opposite side of the pitch.

And it was McKenzie who fired over the cross after 77 minutes which Savage juggled with for what seemed like an age before volleying home an unstoppable strike.

Everyone waited to see if that goal would sap Stenhousemuir's strength but the visitors held out comfortably for a share of the spoils.

Shire : Hill, Gibb, Doyle, Carr(Ure 48), Thywissen, Moffat(McKenzie 65), Donaldson, Brand, Savage, Simpson, K. McBride.

Stenhousemuir : Brown, Lyle, McEwan, Thom, Gilbride, Tyrrell, Hamilton, Murdoch(Galloway 73), Dempster, Hampshire(McLaughlin 85), Dillon.

Referee : T. Robertson

Attendance : 528.

 

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