Stenhousemuir -vs- Peterhead (Saturday 23 March 2024)

[Francesc Fabregas]

It's first versus second at Ochilview on Saturday as Stenhousemuir take on Peterhead. This one should be an entertaining encounter - the past two meetings between the sides have been fun - and Stenny can either take one enormous stride towards clinching the title, or be made to wait a little bit longer. It really is that simple.

The Warriors weren't amazing at Forfar Athletic at the weekend but there were some decent passages of play here and there and on another day, they could have taken all three points. I wonder how Gary Naysmith will approach this one - I have a feeling he'll stick with the same that started at Station Park. James Berry played well, scored a goal, and turned in his best performance since he joined the club; he deserves to keep his place in the team for the time being. Beyond Berry, there's no obvious alterations. I'd like to see more from Matty Aitken, who's been hot and cold in recent weeks (he couldn't get into the game at Balmoor back in February and the whole team suffered as a result), and Matty Yates. We all know how good a player he can he and I just hope he can provide a bit more quality on the ball. We have the options to change things if the game is going against us.

We will go with:

- Matty Aitken -

- Euan O'Reilly - James Berry - Matty Yates -

- Mikey Anderson - Nat Wedderburn -

- Kinlay Bilham - Nicky Jamieson - Gregor Buchanan - Ross Meechan -

- Darren Jamieson -

Peterhead are obviously a decent side but they've never once been able to take advantages of our various slip-ups over the past few months and that's why they're lagging behind. We're in for a good game here and I believe we can beat them if we play to our strengths. There's no need to be as direct as we've been recently as we've got the personnel who can knock it around nicely, as well as mixing it up if need be. I'd like to see a wee bit more intensity here - I'm impatient and I don't want to wait much longer!

Home win! I'll see you there!

[peternapper]

Need to do better than our last visit to Ochilview when we were not at the races. Our form since December has been hit & miss and have played well in patches but not closing games out. We have had far too many draws although would probably be happy with one on Saturday to delay the inevetable Stenny title celebrations while there.

[doulikefish]

A draw and a pre match Tim Hortons 

[Hard Graft]

Win on Saturday and that virtually clinches the title. We would have to lose every game while Peterhead would have to win all their remaining games to equal us on points. Really cannot see that happening.

C'mon lads history is waiting. I have been waiting a long time for this to happen.

[Nigel Blackwell]

It would almost clinch it, but if Dumbo and/or Spartans win then they would be 17 behind with 18 points to play for. Had we held out on Saturday against Forfar, then Saturday could have been the day. 

[Hard Graft]

My mistake - the table I viewed had mistakenly put Peterhead in place of Spartans.

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

Seems ticket sales for this have been very positive, with the club offering a discount to our community. Warriors fans being allowed into the terrace. 

Looking forward to the game tomorrow just hope the team are determined and put on a good performance. 

Would like to see Taylor and Brown start. 

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

10 hours ago, Old Fashioned Stramash said:

Seems ticket sales for this have been very positive, with the club offering a discount to our community. Warriors fans being allowed into the terrace. 

Looking forward to the game tomorrow just hope the team are determined and put on a good performance. 

Would like to see Taylor and Brown start. 

Surely Taylor or Brown?

I'm not a fan of the more conservative 4-3-3 (Berry in a more advanced position isn't a 4-2-3-1.)

Get O'Reilly wide left, Taylor wide right and Yates behind Aitken. Have a right go from the off!

Edited March 22 by Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach

[Pedro Cabeza]

Good to see Jason Brown returning after being out since the beginning of January. We have been missing an experienced  central defender and while the young lads have been doing well, Jason's the club captain  and keeps the defence tight. We will be going all out to win this as a loss could see us drop to fourth in the table. Dumbarton and the Spartans look to both have winnable games and East Fife are racing up the table and could have a say in the play off spots.

[doulikefish]

On 18/03/2024 at 13:18, doulikefish said:

A draw and a pre match Tim Hortons 

I win

 

[THE_warrior]

Terrible game of football which seems to be the norm right now for stenhousemuir. 

Nicky jamieson was absolutely astounding today and won every header and put in many great challenges. The ref was astonishingly bad though today with over 20+ fouls being given, in what seemed to be some sort of joke and in one series of "play" giving over 3 fouls in what felt like 30 seconds.

Edited March 23 by THE_warrior
Spelling

[warriors21]

One game closer to the title for the Warriors and one game closer to the League 2 Player of the Year Award for Nicky Jamieson - the man is a colossus!

The game wasn’t great, the officials were atrocious, and the best bit of play was Peterhead working the ball out their own box with 5 or 6 one touch passes before popping it into the middle of the park.

 

[Neilly]

Nicky Jamieson was outstanding. We are lucky to have him here next season he could surely play in the Championship now with his attributes.

What an awful game of football with another laughably bad referee. Much like last week bookings for nothing and then blatant bookings nothing happens. What a state he got himself in - an utter clown.

A bizarre performance from Peterhead. They never really went for it in a game they had to win and we weren't exactly firing. Were content with a draw for some reason.

Another clean sheet and another point closer. We are limping over the line but we are just about there.

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

I believe that's the clean sheet league record equaled

Edited March 23 by Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach

[Broxi Bears]

Another dull and boring game today but I guess it’s another point closer towards the title. 

With Brown, Taylor, Yates and O’Reilly all on the bench it’s little surprise we created next to nothing. 

[Artic Penguin]

1 hour ago, Broxi Bears said:

Another dull and boring game today but I guess it’s another point closer towards the title. 

With Brown, Taylor, Yates and O’Reilly all on the bench it’s little surprise we created next to nothing. 

Really!!! Yet they all came on, and I would say only Yates and O'Reilly added anything

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

Defensively we were sound, Nicky Jamieson is an absolute machine. His tackle on Pawlett was brilliant, well timed and solid. He reads the game brilliantly.

Peterhead played some nice football but just couldn't make that final pass happen or sent it wayward. Pawlett ran the midfield. 

Thought Rodden worked well and put in effort but Aitken was miles off it again today, he's not making that wee yard of space or anticipating the through ball like he was. His first touch was like bouncing a ball off a wall. Just looks like he's low on confidence. He wasn't helped with Kirkpatrick playing in behind him. The gap between him and Kirkpatrick was large and both standing flat footed at times. Kirkpatrick's movement and lay-off's were pretty poor and didn't give Aitken much to work with at all. 

Speaking of Kirkpatrick, he took a sore one. McCarthy is never getting there for the header and comes through the back of Kirkpatrick with his forearm/elbow, straight into Kirkpatrick's head. Ref gave a free-kick, no booking. No idea how the assistant ref never saw it. Ref and assistants were dire again.

New shop was nice too see, spent a fair amount though . 

Still 15 clear and on our way! 

Edited March 24 by Old Fashioned Stramash

[charliewheelen]

Hi all, many sympathies to you all for a goalless draw this afternoon. I couldn't find the Peterhead supporters anywhere P&B so I'll make it short and sweet. I'm interviewing one half of the Peterhead management duo in Jordon Brown the week after next for my podcast Today Wheelenterview, and I want to get as many of you involved as possible.

Asking supporters' questions has worked a charm so far on the show, so is there anything you would like me to ask directly to him, or have you any insights at all into his tenure at the club to better the interview as a whole. Stenny fans, feel free to get involved, would be rude to leave you out. Happy to share it in your next matchday thread, we're on both Spotify and Apple. Wish both of your teams the very best for the rest of the season!

[Nigel Blackwell]

Seems we set up not to lose yesterday. Since the Clyde game that seems to be the way of it. First half was actually quite entertaining but the 2nd half was really brutal. 

Amazing save from Jamieson. The shot was actually reminiscent of Adam Brown's the last time we played them here with one obvious difference. 

The other Jamieson deserved his latest MotM. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the League Player of the Year. Its not usually something a Stenhousemuir player features in. Was the last player to make the shortlist Harry Paton? Anyway, Nicky has got to be in with a shout. I'd imagine Gregor Buchanan might also make the shortlist but I'd like to see Michael Anderson get a mention.

Back to the game, Pawlett caused us a lot of problems in the middle, while I thought Aitken had another poor game for us. Looking to next season I think this is where Naysmith really needs to strengthen. 

As mentioned earlier in the thread,  the challenge on Kirkpatrick was horrible. The referee gave a free kick so he saw the challenge but didn't consider a booking at least. It could actually have been a red. It was a nasty challenge leading with his elbow. 

On to next week...

[bluetoonscotty]

For a 0-0 that was a pretty enjoyable game of football from a Peterhead point of view. Like a completely different team from the one that played the last time out at Ochilview. You could argue it was maybe down to Stenny taking their foot off the gas with the title all but won, but it felt like we completely controlled the game in that second half.

As has been mentioned Pawlett dictated the game in midfield along with McCarthy and had his best game in a Peterhead shirt so far. Hoping that’s him now up to speed and he can continue that going forward. Got to give credit to Goldie and Ryan Strachan aswell who both had good games and were so assured on the ball allowing us to build our attacks from there and recycle when we needed to.

Only thing missing of course was that cutting edge but I’m hopeful that will come. If we can channel those types of performances over the next few weeks we could give ourselves a very positive end to the season.