Match Report - By John Hoey

Stenhousemuir and Brechin shared the spoils after a 2-2 draw at Ochilview.

Olly Hamilton opened the scoring for City five minutes before half-time but goals from Andy Munro and David Hopkirk gave the Warriors the advantage until a goal from skipper Paul McManus six minutes from the end earned the visitors a valuable point.

Hopes were high before the game that City would be able to hoist themselves off the bottom of the table with a victory, particularly in light of recent encouraging performances but the reality was that the team never managed to achieve anything like the standards they had set themselves in recent games and they will be thankful that they managed to come away with a point following a torrid 90 minutes which the Warriors totally dominated.

City made a couple of changes to the team from the previous week with new loan signing Andy Jackson being handed his debut while Kieran Inglis returned to the side in his usual wide left midfield position. Skipper McManus and winger Matthew Knox who had both featured against Cove were on the bench.

The hosts laid siege to the City goal from the referee's opening whistle and they almost grabbed the lead with barely a minute on the clock when Scott McGlaughlin delivered a great cross into the box for Hopkirk but his header lacked power and Lewis McMinn saved easily. Stenny came close again just a couple of minutes later when City lost possession in their own half with the ball being played quickly to Greig Spence who passed to Mark McGuigan whose shot was then deflected for a corner. McGuigan threatened again shortly afterwards after City again lost possession but he steered his shot well wide of the target. Hopkirk was next to have a go when he fired in a drive from just within the box but It took a deflection off one of his own players.

City had barely threatened the Warriors goal but they came close to opening the scoring very much against the run of play in the 18th minute when Ryan McCord collected a Scott Reekie free-kick and quickly passed to Hamilton who fired a right-foot drive just inches past the post and Hamilton was in the thick of the action again just minutes later when he raced clear of the home defence and crossed into the box for Inglis who just failed to connect with the cross.

The Warriors were still enjoying the lion's share of pressure and possession as the half wore on but City came close again on the half-hour mark when McCord picked up a loose ball at the edge of the box and fired in a shot which came crashing back off the bar.

City were gradually clawing their way back into the match and they dramatically grabbed the lead ten minutes before the break.

Inglis started the move when he made a short pass to Jackson who in turn quickly passed to Hamilton who then kept his composure to lob the onrushing goalkeeper and nestle the ball into the net from a tight angle.

The Warriors began the second-half just as they had started the opening 45 minutes, pressuring the City defence straight from the kick-off and they almost grabbed the equaliser nine minutes in when a net bound Alan Cook drive was deflected for a corner and a couple of minutes later, a close-range shot from McGuigan was cleared off the line by Sean McIntosh.

Stenny continued to press and in the 59th minute, McMinn did well to hold a right-foot drive from Spence with the ex Alloa and Arbroath striker coming close again a couple of minutes later when his shot from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner. One felt that a Warriors goal couldn't be long delayed and so it proved in the 63rd minute when Hopkirk picked up a loose clearance from the visitors defence and delivered a good ball into the City box for skipper Munro who headed strongly past McMinn.

The Warriors continued to push forward with Reekie obtaining the first yellow card of the match following a clash with Cook and shortly afterwards, City made the first substitution of the match with Knox replacing Inglis.

Stenny continued to put pressure on the visitors defence as they looked to add to Munro's goal and they came close once again when Spence who had been hugely impressive on his home debut saw another shot deflected for a corner.

City then made their final substitution of the match in the 72nd minute with McManus replacing McCord with the hosts following suit shortly afterwards with McGuigan being replaced by Botti Biabi.

Stenny were looking dangerous every time they moved forward and they looked to have wrapped up the points with just ten minutes remaining with a superb goal from Hopkirk.

The ex Dunfermline and Hamilton striker collected a pass from Conor McBrearty and pushed his way forward past three City defenders into the box before drilling home a fierce right-foot drive.

City looked dead and buried at that stage but to their credit they battled on and grabbed a dramatic late equaliser with just six minutes remaining to salvage a valuable point.

Knox started the move when he passed to Reekie wide on the right and the full-back pushed forward before passing to Hamilton who tried a shot which skimmed across the face of the goal before being poked into the net by McManus.

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