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Giant-killers!
In season 1994-5, the Warriors had their most successful Scottish Cup run of modern times. Included in a fine run of seventeen competitive matches without defeat, from 8th October 1994, were victories in Rounds One and Two of the Scottish Cup over East Stirlingshire and Arbroath respectively. The 'Shire game was featured on BBC, but most of the after-match expert discussion centred on Stenhousemuir's attempts to have the match played in flood-like conditions, with the pundits guffawing at the ground staff's attempts to mechanically draw the water from the pitch surface.
Round Three saw the Warriors drawn to play at McDarmid Park, against St Johnstone. Trailing on a chilly Tuesday night to an O.G., the match was drawing to a close as Adrian Sprott took a last minute corner. The equaliser came directly from Sprott's flag kick, and a replay followed at Ochilview. A surprisingly large crowd turned up to see the Warriors turn in one of the finest ever displays by a 'Muir side, and a 4-0 victory, over their more illustrious opponents.
Cup fever had hit the town, and Aberdeen were drawn to visit Ochilview for Round Four. An all ticket crowd of 3800 packed into Ochilview for the match, which amazingly but deservedly the Warriors won due to two strikes from Tommy Steele, reputed to have the ability to turn on 'half a sixpence'!
On to the Quarter Final stage, which brought Hibernian to Gladstone Road. At 0-0 at half-time, another shock was a possibility. However, many 'Muir fans would argue that Keith Wright's late, unpunished challenge on George McGeachie, just prior to the break, ultimately cost Stenhousemuir a potential victory, and a Semi-Final berth. As it was, Hibernian scored four times after the interval to proceed.
The Cup run over, and the attendant hype and media attention at an end, many of us thought the club had enjoyed their rare period of fame, and relative obscurity would return.
How wrong we were. The following season (1995-6), beating Montrose, Dundee and Stirling Albion on the way, the Warriors reached the Final of the Scottish Challenge Cup, scheduled for McDarmid Park in Perth, with Dundee United the opposition. Although United had spent large amounts on players, assembling the most expensive squad outside of the Premier League, as the match progressed it became apparent that there was little between the two sides. And so it was, that after 120 goal-less minutes, the match was decided on penalty kicks. Beyond all expectations, it was the Warriors who triumphed by 5-4 from the spot kicks. Joy unbounded, but surely this would be the end of the giant killing, at least for a few years.
Later that season, the Warriors drew then Premier League Falkirk, away at Brockville. On a chilly evening, the Warriors did it again, this time by 2-0 (I have a video of the goals!).
But the run was finally over, when lower league (at that time) Inverness Caledonian Thistle came to Ochilview in the next round and dispatched the 'Muir…..……….
Since then, nothing, although Hearts were run close.
Still, there's always this season!
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