Stenhousemuir 1 Stranraer 0: Warriors ease up the League One table

The Warriors leapfrogged Brian Reid’s side and boss Brown Ferguson believes its no less than his side’s performance, both on Saturday and in recent weeks, deserve.

“We are off the bottom on the back of a lot of good performances in the last few weeks and now it’s Stranraer’s turn to find out how they react to it.

“The result and the performance is one that should give us a shot in the arm.

“It’s potentially one of these nervy games. Two teams sitting bottom of the table and if it had been a stuffy, drab, nervy game then you could understand it - but the performance from the team, especially in the first half, was excellent.

“It was 1-0 but I think over the piece we deserved more than that but I’m just delighted to get the three points and the performance was pleasing.”

Kieran Millar scored the only goal of the game on 68 minutes, and a thoroughly deserved winner it was too for a Stenny side that dominated from start to finish.

Stenhousemuir restricted their visitors to no shots on target and jump above Stranraer into ninth place in the league.

The Warriors had a goal disallowed after four minutes when Colin McMenamin nodded in Alan Cook’s free-kick only to be ruled offside.

Stenny were unlucky not to take the lead a couple of times before the half hour mark, first when McMenamin volleyed a long ball wide and then when Morgyn Neill, on loan at Stranraer from Dumbarton, nearly turned into his own net.

The Blues had a couple of half chances before the ball fell to Craig Malcolm on the stroke of half-time, but he fired high and wide.

Just as it was looking as if Stenny may regret not taking one of their many opportunities, Kieran Millar popped up and slammed into the roof of the net from close range after a neat McMenamin knockdown.

Ferguson’s side had a couple more chances before full-time, with man of the match Willis Furtado’s rasping effort being kept out by the knee of Stranraer goalkeeper Cameron Belford. All said it was comfortable day at the office for a Stenny side that should have scored a few more goals and were rarely troubled defensively.

“It allows us to go into the cup game in good spirits and go and enjoy it against a very good team,” added the Warriors chief. “Obviously we are going there to win the match, we know it’ll be a difficult game but we are going there in confident mood on the back of [Saturday].