Match Report - By Steven Mew

Andy Jackson's second half equaliser wasn't enough to save City from the heartache of successive relegations as the club slipped into League Two after a 17 year absence.

Barry Smith's side knew they had to win to avoid the drop, but they would come up just short against 10-man Warriors who live to fight another day in the playoffs.

After missing the last couple of matches through injury, Craig Thomson came into the starting 11 at the expense of Sean Burns - the only change to the side that lost out narrowly to Raith last weekend.

City started the game brightly and after just 4 minutes, Andy Jackson contested a drop ball before playing Ross Kavanagh through on goal but with just Smith to beat, he dragged his shot wide of the far post. Two minutes later, Craig Thomson ballooned a volley well over the bar after a corner was only half cleared.

On the quarter hour mark Mikey Miller galloped forward from midfield, beating two players in the process before firing a low shot straight at Smith.

City continued to threaten and ex-City stopper Smith would be called into action again when he palmed away a 20 yard free kick from Callum Tapping which looked destined for the corner of the net.

With 24 minutes on the clock, it was the visitors who bagged a precious opener with their first real chance of the game. Ruaridh Donaldson made a run down the left hand side before supplying a low ball into the box for MARK MCGUIGAN who smashed the ball home from six yards out.

After such a promising start, the goal knocked the stuffing out of City as the rest of the half petered out with no further chances of note.

However, the second half was only a few minutes old when City grabbed themselves a lifeline. Tam Scobbie's deep cross from the right found ANDY JACKSON at the back post and he glanced a header into the corner for his 11th goal of the season.

Five minutes later, it began to look even more promising for City when the visitors were reduced to 10 men with Conor McBrearty receiving a straight red card for a late lunge on Scott Robertson.

This was the 3rd time that the Warriors have had at least one player sent off in the fixtures between the sides this season - however City have previously struggled to make the most of the numerical advantage and this would prove to be the case again.

The Stenhousemuir backline - superbly marshalled by Andy Munro - soaked up the pressure as City pushed more bodies forward. However, despite being a man down it was the visitors who would go on to the create the better opportunities on the counter attack.

Alan Cook, who had just come on as a substitute, got down the left flank before providing an inch perfect cross for the on-rushing David Marsh who headed over the bar whilst Callum Tapping did likewise with a shot at the other end.

On 74 minutes Greg Hurst drifted away from Miller down the left hand side of the box but as he bore down on goal, he was denied by the feet of Bowman. Three minutes later, defender Marsh showed the technique of a forward as he caught a volley perfectly on his right foot but his effort flew just wide of the post.

The visitors continued to threaten as they chased a second goal which would have surely put the 3 points beyond City's reach. Substitute Sean Dickson curled a shot just past the upright before McGuigan blazed over the bar a minute later.

As the clock ticked down, Stenhousemuir were playing for time with Graeme Smith amongst an array of bookings for time wasting.

With just seconds remaining, City keeper Graham Bowman came forward for a corner in a desperate attempt to salvage a dramatic late winner however the ball was eventually cleared away by the Stenny defence following a scramble in the penalty area.

After six minutes of stoppage time, referee Euan Anderson blew the full time whistle to mark the end of a hugely disappointing season for everyone at the club, and a return to the bottom tier of Scottish Football for the first time since 2002.

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