STENHOUSEMUIR 1 SHIRE 4

A first derby victory of the season was achieved in some style and kept Shire very much in the play-off picture.

An early strike from birthday boy Craig Donaldson gave the team the start they were so keen for and after the home team had equalised they took command of the match. Brian Graham ended his goal drought with two quality strikes while Jamie Stevenson added the fourth.

It was a good day all round for Shire. They move to within a point of second top Stenhousemuir, while the gap to league leaders Cowdenbeath is now six points.

Shire were forced into a few changes after the midweek defeat against Dumbarton. Colin Cramb was suspended after his  red card and his strike partner Andy Rodgers had to sit the game out after picking up a hamstring injury.

The good news was that Jamie Stevenson returned to the side after his injury-enforced absence in midweek. Sean Anderson kept his place after coming into the team as a second half substitute at Dumbarton in place of David Dunn.

The visitors wasted no time in taking the game to Stenhousemuir and opened the scoring with the first meaningful shot on goal after four minutes. Stevenson’s corner was played out to Craig Donaldson who cracked in a shot from 25 yards which flew past Scott Bennett in the Warriors goal high to the keeper’s left hand.

But the Warriors were determined not to let Shire rest on their early lead and after Kevin Motion hit the crossbar straight from a corner Mark Peat had to make a brave save at the feet of Ian Thomson after he had been played through by Craig Molloy.

From the resulting 13th minute corner from Thomson the ball flew across the six yard box to the back post where Motion was waiting to bundle the ball over the line.

Shire went through a sticky ten minutes when the home side had them under a decent amount of pressure but Peat wasn’t called on to make a serious save. And, after having been under the cosh for a while, Shire broke out in spectacular style.

On 24 minutes Stevenson held the ball on the 18 yard line before playing Anderson in and he was only denied a goal by a great saving tackle from Motion.

Three minutes later it was Brian Graham’s turn to provide Anderson with a shooting chance but this time his effort lacked any real power and Bennett made a comfortable save. But three minutes further on the Warriors keeper was beaten again.

Paul Weaver was the architect with a slide rule-perfect pass for Graham to run onto. His pace took him clear of the Stenhousemuir defence and he prodded it into the unguarded net from eight yards.

Bennett may have been helpless at the goal but his saves then stopped Stenhousemuir falling further behind. Jamie Stevenson hit a rocket shot free-kick from 25 yards that swerved in the air and the keeper was at full stretch tipping it over the bar.

Just two minutes later the stopper made an even better save after Donaldson’s blocked shot fell at the feet of Anderson. His powerful drive looked netbound all the way but Bennett threw himself across his goal to push the shot over the bar.

The visitors onslaught brought rewards with a third goal on 41 minutes. Stevenson’s trickery on the left set up Graham and his run to the 18 yard line ended with a curling shot which hit the inside of the post before going into the net.

Stenhousemuir had to make changes at the interval and they withdrew Chris McGroarty and replaced him with an additional forward, Andy Ferguson.

Within a minute of the re-start the new man was put clean through on goal but his control let him down and the opening was closed down very quickly.

Not that it deterred the Warrriors and on 49 minutes Motion’s 20 yard free-kick hit Peat’s left-hand post with the Shire keeper beaten.

But the home team failed to find a finishing touch and Shire were always a threat up front. On 62 minutes Motion fouled Stevenson 20 yards out and the Shire man picked himself up and drilled the resulting free-kick over the wall and out of the reach of Bennett into the net.

There were more opportunities for Shire as the Warriors tired. After 75 minutes Graham set up Anderson inside the box but the ball stuck under his feet and the opportunity was gone. But Anderson was trying his best to notch a goal and after 81 minutes he created the space for a shot from 18 yards that Bennett had to push round the post.

In the final minute Peat had to look alert when Iain Diack broke clear and shot across goal but the Shire keeper dived full-length to push it round the post.

STENHOUSEMUIR : Bennett, Lyle, McGroarty(A. Ferguson 46), Smith, Ovenstone, Tyrrell(Dalziel 77), Molloy, Thomson(Shirra 66), Diack, Brand, Motion.

SHIRE : Peat, Hay(Richardson 77), Forrest, Tully, Bolochoweckyj, Weaver, Donaldson, Stevenson(McKenzie 63), Graham, Ure, Anderson(Dunn 84).

REFEREE : G. Hilland

ATTENDANCE : 805.