Francesc Fabregas Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Stenhousemuir have only really embarrassed themselves twice this season, and both those times have been against Stranraer. The 2-0 defeat at Stair Park back in mid-September was spellbinding in its awfulness, while the 4-1 thumping in December saw the Blues score three times in 11 first-half minutes after David Wilson turned in a thoroughly wretched display in goals. As such, I'm not too confident going into this one, despite a recent run of good form that's seen us win our last two matches. It's a game we really have to win if we're serious about challenging for the play-offs - with Edinburgh City losing to Albion Rovers on Tuesday night, we've got a great opportunity to close the gap on them to a single point with a game in hand (albeit against Kelty Hearts) and, potentially, eliminate Stranraer from the promotion picture while we're at it. I imagine we'll be going with the same starting XI that beat Elgin City and Annan Athletic: - Tam Orr - Robert Thomson - - Euan O'Reilly - - Mikey Miller - Nat Wedderburn - Mikey Anderson - - Callum Yeats - Sean Crighton - Nicky Jamieson - Adam Corbett - - Peter Urminsky - When I see the team laid out like that, I fancy our chances, but then I fancied my chances the last two times we've taken on Stranraer and we were humiliated. Good luck to the Warriors! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimto90 Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 How's the weather been in stranny? Couple of days obviously but reckon there any doubt? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 From what I hear the game is in a bit of dou..............URMINSKIYYYYYYYY! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hard Graft Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Hope it is on - last place you want to go midweek. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue_1870 Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 I wasn't at the game, and the stats make it seem like it was pretty evenly matched. For want of any other reasoning, our insanely good record against Stenhousemuir over the last few years has made me decide that this was very much two points dropped. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 A draw seemed a fair result to me. I wasn't at the game but from the stream it was a pretty end to end game with both teams playing their part in difficult conditions. A well rehearsed corner goal for Stranraer was cancelled out by a piece of magic from Robert Thomson who ran half the length of the park before a perfect slide rule pass for Tam Orr to slide home. A point gained for us with Edinburgh getting beat so we dust ourselves down and go again next week. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted February 19, 2022 Author Share Posted February 19, 2022 (edited) Aye, I'd agree with Neilly's assessment. The match was generally a low-quality affair, lacking in class but reasonably entertaining all the same. Stranraer took their goal well and went on to create a couple of good openings (which really should have been converted) but I felt we probably had more of the ball without doing a lot with it. Tam Orr's goal was brilliant and it might have been the best we've scored all season - Robert Thomson gathered possession on the halfway line, slalomed forward, taking the Stranraer defence one way and then the other, before slipping in his strike partner to roll the ball into the net. Beautiful stuff and the undoubted high point of the game. Although we started the game with the same personnel and system we've seen in the past two matches, I don't think it suited us. It was too lopsided and left Callum Yeats exposed at left full-back, while Euan O'Reilly had little impact as a number 10. There were a number of occasions when Stranraer would work the ball down their left and then suddenly switch it to Anton Brady or Sean McIntosh on the opposite flank to create overloads and, on another day, they could (and maybe should) have scored more. I think it's something that Stephen Swift has a tendency to do - arrive at a winning formula and then persist with it in every game, regardless of its suitability. One example of this was using a back three against Albion Rovers (which was a success) and then using it again the next week against Cowdenbeath (which was not). We got a grip on the game after the interval when Darren Christie replaced Mikey Anderson and we morphed into a 4-4-2, with O'Reilly moving out to the left. We were able to prevent the overloads down the flanks, Nat Wedderburn and Mikey Miller got on the ball more and O'Reilly was able to take on McIntosh and work the ball to the byline with limited results. Orr's goal aside, we didn't do a lot to test Luke Scullion - Adam Corbett had a header cleared off the line (he should have done a lot better) and Orr had the ball in the back of the net but play was pulled back for an earlier foul - and we still seem to struggle to regroup when we lose possession. On the whole, I was relieved to emerge with a point. A win would have obviously been far more useful but with Edinburgh City losing at Annan Athletic, we're in a decent position to pull level with them. Stenhousemuir were mostly fine, grafting hard, clearing their lines, trying to play football when possible, and I can't fault anyone for effort. Sean Crighton was poor, however, and it was his mistake that led to Stranraer's goal. He misjudged a long ball, letting it fly over his head and forcing Peter Urminsky into a good save, and then lost Darryl Duffy inside the box at the resultant corner. I expected a lot better from someone of his calibre; it feels as though he's making a mistake in every game and his team-mates are having to bail him out. I don't think we're likely to see any changes at central defence any time soon so it looks like we're stuck with. A special mention, too, to James Lyon who came on as an 81st-minute substitute and looked like he was blowing out of his arse after about 60 seconds of action. A thoroughly disappointing player and I was a little surprised his loan spell wasn't terminated last month because he's given us nothing beyond a decent ping against Dumbarton in the League Cup group stages. Stranraer were okay. It was good to avoid a hat-trick of embarrassments against them this season. Grant Gallagher was good in the first half, Anton Brady was a wee nuisance down the right and Paul Woods showed some nice touches when he came on. I don't think they'll be good enough to challenge for the top four this season but best of luck to them anyway. My favourite part of the trip to Stair Park was the collection of photos that adorn the terracing behind the goals - I had a look at them during the interval and thought it must be great to reminded of your club's success over the years. A lot of history on display. Edited February 21, 2022 by Francesc Fabregas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted February 20, 2022 Author Share Posted February 20, 2022 Having just watched back the highlights, Tam Orr's goal is even better that it seemed from behind the goals. Incredible work from Robert Thomson to carry the ball so far up the pitch (look he deep he is when he collects it!) and drive forward, and Orr's finish is laser guided. Brilliant stuff. Stranraer's goal is very well worked too - having watched it back a couple of times, I don't think you can really blame Sean Crighton for failing to track Darryl Duffy when he's been blocked off by Scott Robertson like that. Credit to the Blues, a nice goal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Blackwell Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 Agree with Swift that we would have lost that earlier in the season. Thomson back is a huge difference for us.Goal was great and their goal was really well worked but questions about the keeper. I know he probably saw it late but it was a poor effort at a save. To be fair to him he did make a couple of good blocks but he isn’t the safe, reliable keeper we wanted/needed.Going to be an interesting end to the season, at the right end of the table, which is a big improvement since Christmas time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hard Graft Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 Good result, could have been more goals for both teams. From the highlights at Stranraer's goal and just after there is no one on the back post. Thomson's run and Orr's finish just sublime, Orr now the player we were hoping for, do not know what was wrong at the start of the season but now showing his worth. Going to be an interesting finish to the season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimto90 Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 A well earned point. Second half we were good. First not so much. Great stuff from Thommo for the goal and a nice finish from Tam. Can't stop scoring! Not too critical of Peter for the goal. We were right behind it and he saw it very late through lots of bodies. Was just an instinct dive but didn't really know where ball was. He also made 2/3 really good saves. Going to be very tight race for play-offs and this could be an important point. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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