STENHOUSEMUIR 1 SHIRE 1

Shire were forced to settle for a draw in their derby clash with Stenhousemuir at Ochilview.

Jim McInally’s men took the lead on 26 minutes through Brian Graham but Scott Dalziel’s equaliser secured a share of the spoils. A late Shire flurry might have brought more goals but the visitors couldn’t make the vital breakthrough. The result does, however, extend their unbeaten run to eight games.

Craig Donaldson’s injured hamstring prevented him lining up against Stenhousemuir at Ochilview. Gary Kelly rather than David Dunn was preferred in midfield. And there was no place either in the team for Colin Cramb, for the second week in a row he had to make do with a place on the bench.

Brian Graham, after his two goal performance in the win over Dumbarton last week, kept his place as the solitary striker. Craig Tully played a more withdrawn role than usual as Shire coach Jim McInally appeared initially to adopt a more cautious approach against the league leaders.

It was the Warriors who made the game’s first real chance after just two minutes. A cross from Andy Shirra cross from the right found Scott Dalziel but his shot from just inside the box was pushed away by a diving Jamie Barclay.

Shire had to wait until the 12 minute before they saw a sniff of goal. Graham played in Gary Kelly but Warriors keeper Scott Bennett raced off his line to clear any danger.

The visitors thought they had a decent claim for a penalty after 23 when Craig McEwan jumped dangerously into the back of Eddie Forrest following Dean Richardson’s long throw-in into the Stenhousemuir box but referee Robertson waved play on.

But Shire  did make the breakthrough after 26 minutes, Derek Ure fed Andy Rodgers 20 yards from goal and his clever reverse pass put Graham clean through on goal. The Shire striker strode on and calmly slotted the ball past Bennett from 10 yards.

Barclay preserved Shire’s lead with a fantastic save after 32 minutes. Shirra’s cross was met by a diving header from Dalziel  but the keeper managed to throw himself full-length to block.

After 40 minutes Kelly was clear through but his attempted lob over Bennett was easily saved by the Stenhousemuir keeper. Three minutes later Forrest had to be alert to block Dalziel in the act of shooting and the ball was sent behind for a fruitless corner.

At the start of the second period Shire again felt they should have had a penalty when Richardson tumbled in the box under a challenge from McEwan. But, just as had happened in the first period, the match officials seemed less than interested.

Six minutes into the second half Stenhousemuir found the levelling goal out of nothing. Dalziel raced from one edge of the penalty box to the other without being challenged before firing in a shot that seemed to creep under the keeper’s body and into the net.

Stenhousemuir should have had the momentum but couldn’t find the killer ball into the box. Shire themselves would have had more scoring chances if the strikers had been able to read the line better and stay onside.

McInally didn’t sit back and settle for the draw, bringing on Colin Cramb, Marc McKenzie and David Dunn as substitutes.

Cramb and McKenzie combined on 80 minutes but Squib headed Cramb's right-wing cross wide from inside the six yard box. Six minutes from the end Dunn should have won it when Iain Thomson’s mis-placed pass left him clean through but his shot was straight at Bennett.

In injury-time Andrew Brand went down under a touchline challenge from Hay and the Shire man, who had already been booked for dissent, was shown a second yellow, leaving the visitors to see out the remaining few seconds with ten men.

STENHOUSEMUIR : Bennett, McEwan, McGroarty, Thom, Ovenstone, Thomson, Shirra, Ferguson(Desmond 79), Dalziel, Brand, Love(Hampshire 79).

SHIRE : Barclay, Hay, Richardson(Dunn 74), Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Tully, Kelly, Anderson(Cramb 59), Graham(McKenzie 79), Ure, Rodgers.

REFEREE : T. Robertson

ATTENDANCE : 737.