STENNY SIX-POINTER

If ever there was one, this is the proverbial six-pointer and a game that will go a long way to decide who gets automatic promotion to the Championship come five o'clock on the 2nd of May. If not entirely a must win game, it's definitely a must not lose encounter. We still have the postponed fixture against Peterhead away to contend with and at this stage of the season and with our campaign agonisingly unravelling in a tortuous manner, there are no guarantees that three points at Balmoor is a given. Ahead of this game, it's still in our own hands, a defeat removes that option.

Danny Devine missed the KDM Final through injury and although Chanka Zimba played in it, was on the park, he is suspended for this crucial League1 clash. A number of our players never turned up for the Final, some say they haven't arrived yet, but here's hoping they get that no show out of their system pretty quick. It's not up to me, but surely we need more grit and determination in midfield and we don't get that from Chalmers. What does Calum MacLeod and Ben Brannan need to do to get a game? Does Liam Sole not realise he needs to get his finger out and deliver the goods he often promises? Alfie Bavidge is a striker. Play him as one. Time to play our best XI from the start. If that means getting more out of David Wotherspoon then so be it. Is it time to roll back the years and get Billy Mckay on the park as well, although he was not in the squad at Firhill? Plenty of questions for Scott Kellacher to ponder, let's hope he has all the answers because defeat here could signal another season in the doldrums.

🦀 Sideways football, it's not for everyone 🦀

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Match/Ticket/Bus/Info

📺 LIVE on BBC Alba 📺

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Inverness CT 58pts	THE RUN IN	Stenhousemuir 60pts
STENNY v ICTFC - 📺	11th April @17:30	STENNY v ICTFC - 📺
Peterhead v ICTFC - 📺	14th April @19:45	STENNY - No ⛔ Game
ICTFC v Kelty Hearts	18th April @15:00	Cove v STENNY
East Fife v ICTFC	25th April @15:00	STENNY v Alloa
ICTFC v Accies	2nd May @15:00	Montrose v STENNY

With our season imploding somewhat, we never turned up for the KDM Trophy Final against Raith Rovers who deservedly took the win last Sunday 4-1.

• Last Six League1:

• D W D W D D

A disappointing no scoring draw at Kelty where we struggled to create enough clear chances and allowed the pack to close in again before a 3-1 home win over Montrose. With Stenny drawing and Alloa losing in midweek, we had a smidgeon of breathing space going into the home game against Cove but that was taken away by a goalkeeper. Balint Demus headed in an equaliser because we failed to put the game to bed when on top. A common theme throughout the season and one which Stenhousemuir took full advantage of by snatching a last minute winner. We bounced back in midweek with a good 3-1 home win over Peterhead with as bizarre an 'offside' goal as you will see gifting the Head their consolation. Zimba x2 & Alonge were our scorers in that one, three going on six. Zimba was Hero to Zero at Alloa scoring the equaliser before being sent off ten minutes later with the game ending at 1-1 and our last League1 game was a poor 1-1 draw under the lights v QotS where Ross Millen followed up on his saved penalty to bundle home and earn us a point. Onto the the KDM final and the only bright spark for us was Alfie Stewart's superb free kick. Alas we gave our opponents too much respect and too many opportunities to take the ball from us and for that we suffered badly.

Scott Kellacher with the copy & paste pre-match. A few struggling after last weekend. No specific players named so that should open up the tombola selection. Just a thought here. Is our squad too big for League1 and is that why we have this selection out of the hat rotation? With 22 or 23 to pick from that brings it's own headaches. If a club only has say 15 quality players then barring injuries and suspensions, there's your players for a more settled and consistent first choice. To be honest, I don't envy Kellacher's job, however it's time for the top XI to start at Ochilview.

Stenhousemuir's relentless drive for promotion continued last Saturday with a confident 3-0 win over Hamilton Accies with goals from Dunfermline's on loan Ritchie-Hosler, Ross Taylor and Greg Buchanan.

• Last Six League1:

• W D W W D W

They have been churning out results all season and have taken 14 points from their last six League1 fixtures, a run that has taken them two points clear of the Caley Jags who are hell bent on drawing their way into the Championship with their over cautious approach. It all started with a 1-0 win at Accies thanks to Olly Whyte's goal on the hour. A 1-1 draw followed at QotS where Nicky Jamieson's first half goal was cancelled out on the hour by Guthrie. Ross Taylor was the match winner at Peterhead with a last minute strike and he scored the opener in the next game against Kelty Hearts with Matty Aitken adding a late second in a 2-0 win. A surprising 2-2 draw with a battling East Fife after goals from Buchanan and Anderson had them cruising for all three points. The Fifers turned it round with two goals in a minute, the first from Nathan Austin baby. Last time out they scored an emphatic 3-0 win over Accies with Ritchie-Hosler, Ross Taylor and Greg Buchanan wrapping up the points which put them two ahead of the Caley Jags who will have a catch-up game to come against Peterhead next Tuesday.

🏆 Gary Naysmith has been named Glen’s League 1 Manager of the Month for March 2026. Can't argue with that given the unbeaten run the Warriors are on.

• Ross Taylor had to come off injured against Accies or was that just a precaution. Has an eye for a goal out of nothing.

• Ritchie-Hosler on loan from Dunfermline has given Stenny an extra dimension.

• Olly Whyte and Matty Aitken are big threats in front of goal.

• At the back Nicky Jamieson and Greg Buchanan are as solid as a rock.

• 🏟️ Ochilview Park

• 🏆 William Hill League One

• 📅 Saturday 11 April

• 🕑 17:30

Pos	Team	Pld	Gd	Pts
1	Stenny	32	22	60
2	ICTFC	31	32	58
3	Alloa	32	15	50
4	QueenS	32	6	46
5	P'Head	31	-9	42
6	Monty	32	-13	41
7	Cove	32	-5	31
8	E Fife	32	-26	31
9	Accies	32	8	25
10	Kelty	32	-30	23

Yep, Their’s no getting away from it!; no getting away from it!; no getting away from it!!!

bc

Edited April 10Apr 10 by big cherly

Well we'll see what the tombola spits out again but if

Bavidge isn't played as a central striker

Chalmers plays

Milllen retains his place and we don't change tactically, I thing we'll get what we deserve from the game, sweet fa.

Billy McKay calf injury last week.

I differ TM4TJ, this is a must win game. If only we could play like Raith did last week.

I watched a rank rotten RC team pumped 4-0 by airdrie last week. I watched before that a rank rotten Raith team beaten 2-0 by a you know what RC. Was it a poor display from RC last week? Maybe, but airdrie are one of the best championship teams I have seen at Dingwall this season. Don’t understand why they were bottom of the championship on the RC display.

What I am saying is, I don’t give us much chance against them if we don’t win this league and manage to get to the play off final.

Giving up away TV football this weekend and heading to Ochilview. Come on kellacher, no. “ it’s your turn to play”, get on the front foot, and for gods sake man cut the crappy back 4 passing to each other, going nowhere and get up the park before stenny get their defensive lines set up. ( remember the chasing down of the 15 point deficit last season, get it up the park, get it into the box asap style)

Macleod at RB, if Devine plays Robertson at LB, pick either Allan or Stewart, they are too similar to play together, a running mackinnon in midfield and longstaff in for a totally ineffective Sole.

So, it will probably be a victory with Sole scoring the winner assisted by Millen, Allan, and macintyre on a quick counter.

Ps…. Haven’t been impressed with Brannan since he returned.

A draw keeps it within our own grasp albeit a couple of testing games.

Cove, Alloa & Montrose are all capable of taking points from Stenny.

On the other hand, we need to change draws into wins...

I’d take a draw.

2 hours ago, Huisdean said:

Well we'll see what the tombola spits out again but if

Milllen retains his place and we don't change tactically, I thing we'll get what we deserve from the game, sweet fa.

Bear in mind that I've only really seen Millen in the last two televised games. Now maybe I have missed defensive errors, but in both games I certainly saw him getting forward and putting balls into the box. Maybe not the best crosses, but more than most of the others do.

At the risk of starting an avalanche, why does everyone seem to downrate him? Keep it short, please

Simply don't feel he adds more than Mcleod does at right back. He was also poor defensively against Raith. Failing to see what extra he gives us when ge plays. Was decent against QOS but nothing special.

I wonder if Rodders fancies sinking County tonight.

Game on BBC Scotland starting in 5 minutes.

QP 1-0 County F/T

4 hours ago, Yngwie said:

I’d take a draw.

I totally agree. It's imperative we don't lose but I totally understand why fans are wanting to win as it puts us in better position in terms of the title race, especially if we beat Peterhead on Tuesday.

A massive game.

TV, probably delayed for me until we get a 6 year old having a sleepover off to bed, as I doubt I can keep him interested in it live.

One we really can’t afford to lose. Although I expect both teams to drop points in the run in, we don’t want to make it any harder to secure top spot so I’m really hoping we get the win.

E Fife 2-1 P'Head

Accies 1-0 Alloa

Kelty 3-1 Monty

QotS 2-0 Cove

All home wins today

Brora win H/League

Another change to the team.. Well i can only hope they play out of their skins to get a win!

Get into them ICT!!!!!

Robertson needs to wake up, he's looked shakey!

Pressing hugely better than last week and picking up a lot of second balls are the main two reasons for the performance so far. Deserved lead. More of the same second half please. Oh, and a couple more goals.

Great team selection.Fantastic first half. Let’s hopefully continue and build on this the second half. Come on Caley Jags!

Happy with that!

Alonge has been the usual waste of space, but with the wind behind us this half we should lob high balls at him. Anything could then happen, because the Stenny defence will be all at sea.

I can see us scoring another couple. We just have to be very careful for the first few minutes of the half.

Job half done, now go on and finish it early in the second half.

The difference playing Bavidge through the middle is huge ad is playing at a quicker tempo. Wotherspoon has also made a difference. I think we have also been more physical and aggressive against Stenny which is good as they normally try to dominated us. Ref looks a bit card happy but inconsistent with them.

Kellagher also looks to have learned a lesson to to let the full backs bomb forward as much leaving Devine and Savage exposed. Game tailor made for Sole to use his pace if Stenny tire.

Why in Earth no substitutes? Wotherspoon's race was run a long time ago. Fresh legs in Sole or Longstaff when Stenny started to dominate (which was just a series of scrambles in the box) would have made the difference.

Merry Christmas to all in Stenhousemuir.

I hope your other gifts were as good as that one!

Sole needed to come on for Alonge with about half an hour to go.

That was never in a million years a penalty!

Still in our hands so not all bad.

2 points dropped, other than the pen felt Stenny had one good chance. The lack of substitutes hurt us, a change was needed around the hour mark to try to change the momentum. Would have chucked on longstaff and sole to get some width. Alonge is shocking with the ball at his feet, everytime he tried to dribble past the man he lost it. I see why the pen was given, going in like that means the ref has a decision to make.

After praising Kellagher for his tactics tactics, how he didn't use his bench sooner is inexcusable

Penalty decision was, not for the first time, this season was poor, it simply wasn't a penalty. Ref was poor all night and gave us nothing

Kellacher (with a c) just failed the job interview, didn't respond to Naysmiths changes and could have cost us all the points.

Ref wasn't bad, apart from the penalty I thought he gave both sides dubious calls.

The longer it stayed one nil the more I saw the resulting draw.

4 minutes ago, mazza20 said:

2 points dropped, other than the pen felt Stenny had one good chance. The lack of substitutes hurt us, a change was needed around the hour mark to try to change the momentum. Would have chucked on longstaff and sole to get some width. Alonge is shocking with the ball at his feet, everytime he tried to dribble past the man he lost it. I see why the pen was given, going in like that means the ref has a decision to make.

If you can see how that penalty was given, your a better man than me. Even watching on TV, it didn't look like the Stenny player was anywhere near the ball. Given there was a blatant push on Sole near the end when he was possibly breaking clear just highlights how inconsistent the ref was.