Stenhousemuir boss Gary Naysmith admits his side 'aren't creating enough chances' after bore draw with Blue Toon

Stenhousemuir boss Gary Naysmith admits his side aren't “creating enough chances in the final third” after Saturday’s bore draw with Peterhead at Ochilview.
Picture Mark Ferguson 23/03/24. STENHOUSEMUIR Ochilview Park. Stenhousemuir FC v Peterhead FC. League 2. Gary Naysmith.Picture Mark Ferguson 23/03/24. STENHOUSEMUIR Ochilview Park. Stenhousemuir FC v Peterhead FC. League 2. Gary Naysmith.
Picture Mark Ferguson 23/03/24. STENHOUSEMUIR Ochilview Park. Stenhousemuir FC v Peterhead FC. League 2. Gary Naysmith.

That point, against the second-placed Blue Toon, does however see the Warriors head into this weekend’s trip to Dumbarton knowing that a victory coupled with Peterhead slipping up against Clyde would hand them a first-ever league title.

And former Scotland international Naysmith says context is important with his side on a four match unbeaten League Two run after a shock 6-1 defeat to Clyde last month.

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"When you look our recent games, we’ve only lost one in seven now and that is good going for any club in any position,” the boss told the Falkirk Herald.

Picture Mark Ferguson 23/03/24. STENHOUSEMUIR Ochilview Park. Stenhousemuir FC v Peterhead FC. League 2.Picture Mark Ferguson 23/03/24. STENHOUSEMUIR Ochilview Park. Stenhousemuir FC v Peterhead FC. League 2.
Picture Mark Ferguson 23/03/24. STENHOUSEMUIR Ochilview Park. Stenhousemuir FC v Peterhead FC. League 2.

"We’ve had three clean sheets in the last four matches too. The only issue we have at the moment, and we spoke to the players after the game on Saturday about it, is that we are aren’t creating enough chances in the final third.

"Considering the players that we have on the pitch – we should be doing better in that area. But we have been so good at everything else.

"The attacking players, guys like Matty Aitken, Matty Yates, Euan O’Reilly and Adam Brown, they have been doing the hard yards and have supported the team defensively.

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"We do need more in attacking areas however and we are out to put that right, we should be creating more clear cut opportunities and we know that if we do that, we have the players who can take those chances.”

Stenhousemuir did pick up another clean sheet on Saturday, and that is the Warriors’ 16th shout out in just 30 league outings.

And that is a statistic to be proud of, according to ex-defender Naysmith.

He added: “If we continue in this manner, we could be looking at around half of matches this league season having seen us pick up a clean sheet. That would be fantastic.

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"We’ve conceded 25 goals in the league, and that includes ten across two one-off games.

"Defending really does start at the front for us and everyone has chipped in.”

Stenhousemuir now travel to promotion play-off chasing Dumbarton this Saturday hoping to seal a first-ever SPFL trophy.