Scottish Football Journey

Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir/East Stirling

Since East Stirling share Ochilview Park with Stenhousmuir, this review will be basically the same as the Stenhousemuir review below. But I have seen East Stirling play one match, against Forfar. This game was in the Scottish 3rd Division and it ended 3-2 to East Stirling. The game was played though at Station Park and not at Ochilview. When East Stirling build a new ground, I will visit it and change this review but until then, it stays as follows.

My 2 visits to Ochilview Park were for the same game and had mixed emotions. It was the Scottish Cup 3rd round match between Stenhousemuir and Cove Rangers. The first game was going to be exciting. Cove had beaten Stenhousemuir in pre season and despite it being a friendly then, I fancied our chances of pulling off a shock. Again my dad and I were being picked up at the lay by at Portlethen by the Cove supporter's bus. The journey was to take about 2 and a half hours and there was high hopes in the Cove camp. The fans were in full voice on the bus down and this was going to be a great day for Cove, I hoped. The bus stopped at Asda in Stenhousemuir and it was freezing outside and also very, very foggy.

This fog was to play a big part of the game was it was affecting both teams play. However Stenhousemuir took a lead through a Scott Dalziel header which looped over Stuart McKenzie. Things went worse as they were awarded a penalty but fortunately for us, it was a poor shot and McKenzie saved. This sparked some life into Cove and we equalised right on the stroke of half time. A free kick from Kevin Webster was headed into the bottom corner by Eric Watson. The Cove fans went mental and we thought we were going to go on and win it. But the ref abandoned the game and a rematch was to take place next week.

Despite the disappointment of last week's wasted journey, we decided to go down again but it just didn't have the same buzz as last week. the first half was one to forget for Cove and the game was won within 13 minutes. 2 goals in the first 4 minutes by Kevin Motion and Craig Molloy were added to by Kevin Bradley as he skipped his marker and fired a great shot past McKenzie. Cove did have an opportunity to reduce the lead but Kevin Webster's spot kick was saved. Iain Thomson fired an unstoppable drive 35 yards from goal and virtually killed the game. Just before half time the game was completed as Kevin Motion was quick to react to a loose ball and fired home Stenny's fifth.

Although the 2nd game was a huge disappointment, the first game was an experience I loved, mainly for the atmosphere created by us Cove fans. We all gathered in the impressive large enclosure behind one goal as this was where the away fans were kept separate from the home fans, who sat in their small seated stand on the side of the pitch. The rest of the ground was unused. A well deserved win for Stenny and some thrilling goals, now it was back to League action for Cove as Stenny marched on to the 4th round.