With Stenny 4 points ahead in the play-off race and having taken only a point from the two previous games, this was always going to be a tricky fixture. It was a fairly cautious set-up McGlashan started with - only Tosh up front supported by
We controlled the first half and probably had three good chances to score, Brazil missing the easiest and a conversion from Barry Sellars cancelled out for handball. Stenny created very little and Hill and the defence had a quiet 45.
Stenny had more of the game second half and promised a few opening which never really materialized. We continued to be wasteful when we got forward, with Tosh hitting a good chance wide. The game had 0-0 written all over it as the second half wore on. Both teams kept plenty of cover at the back and both lacked the means to create real openings or a cutting edge to finish half-chances. But we were to finish in great style
The breakthrough came from a corner out on the right which fell to Paul Watson outside the box and he fires in a powerful low shot deflect past Hillcoat. Two minutes later another corner on the right was headed goalwards by Raeside in crowded area, knocked back from the line by Scott and finished well by
After that, the home crowd was leaving in numbers. We then finished off a flowing movement down the rights starting with Flyer and crossed in for Scott to trap, turn and, from the edge of the box, send a great shot past their keeper. As usual Scott blew the easier chance just before the final whistle when one-on-one he hit the keeper
This was a solid performance by the Lichties. They seldom looked under much pressure and generally had the lion's share of possession. However, until Scott came on (for Tosh), it looked like we would struggle to make this count. A single goal or a mistake could have settled it so to get three in the end was a bonus. Only one booking too, for Paul Watson.
Almost a rerun of last season when - on the 2nd February - we nicked a late late 2-1 win at Ochilview coming from behind and that ignited our title challenge. No chance of the title this year but there's a lot to do to qualify for the playoffs. This was a good step forward in the right direction.
A good few Lichtie fans were present though too quiet, as usual.