James Smith Reporting

STIRLING ALBION TEAM-

Hogarth, Graham, Lawrie, Forsyth, Lowing, Taggart, Murphy, O'Neill, Corr (Trialist- Hamilton), Harty (Waddell), Grehan (McKenna) Unused Sub- Devine, Christie

Goals- O'Neill (53)

Crowd- 686

 

The Binos went into their first home league game of the season after a terrible start to the season in which we found ourselves out of the two cup's and having lost our first league game of the season. Myles Hogarth returned into goals, whilst Liam Corr returned to the starting line up up in favour of Stewart Devine, who went onto the bench. The Binos also finally gained international clearance to field ex-Dumbarton winger, Chris Hamilton as a trialist.

East Fife started off lively and had the bulk of pocession in the first 30 minutes without really creating anything of note. It was the Binos who had the first real chance of the half when Paul Murphy side stepped a defender on the edge of the box and his shot went narrowly past McCulloch's right hand post. Seven minutes later and the Binos created another good chance when a 1-2 with Harty and Taggart, saw Taggart's through pass go to Grehan in which the big striker made McCulloch pull off a good save down low to his right hand side. With only a minute left of play Dougie Cameron of East Fife crossed in from the right to meet the head of Lloyd Young who's header went just past Hogarth's right hand side post.

HALF TIME- STIRLING 0V0 EAST FIFE

East Fife started the second half lively again and a Bobby Linn free kick on 46 minutes was deflected just past the post by Andy Graham. Linn was causing the Binos problems and his cross 2 minutes later got Paul McManus in space from 6 yards out, but Graham managed to get a foot on it. The referee bizzarely gave a goal kick and this was one of several decisions he and the home standside linesman got wrong all day! The Binos managed to absorbe the East Fife pressure and in 53 minutes they found themselves ahead. Nathan Taggart's corner was met by Andy Graham and the big man's flick on was headed in by JOHN O'NEILL for his first Stirling goal. The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of East Fife and the Binos put East Fife under a bit of pressure. Martin Grehan was then taken off for David McKenna on the 62nd minute. East Fife won a corner on 65 minutes and the big defender's (Smart) header went narrowly wide Hogarth's post. A minute later came the turning point of the game when the referee denied the Binos a stonewall penalty. McCulloch somehow smacked the ball off the East Fife defender's hip after pressure from Ian Harty and McCulloch brought Harty down inside the box, but the referee waved away his plea's. Two minutes later and East Fife where level. Young Liam Corr lost the ball in the middle of the park and the ball went over to the right hand side where Linn was in acres of space to cross to DOUGIE CAMERON to head home. Five minutes later and Corr was taken off for trialist Hamilton to come on. Hamilton was creating problems for East Fife down the wing, but it was East Fife who almost went ahead. A Bobby Linn corner floated into the box and Craig Smart's overhead kick was well saved by Hogarth. With 5 minutes to go a Hamilton corner was met by Andy Graham and his knock on was met by Andy Lawrie, but the big centre half's header was too weak and it went straight into the hands of McCulloch. A minute later and Hamilton beat his man down the right to square to Harty, but his shot from the edge of the box was just tipped past by McCulloch. The Binos made their final sub of the day when Steven Waddell came on for Harty, but it was East Fife who nearly stole the points when their striker's shot from the edge of the box in the last minute was well saved by Hogarth.

The Binos next take on Stranraer at Stair Park who went down 2-1 at home to Brechin City today.