Given the ease with which Hamilton have disposed of Albion in their two previous meetings coupled with the disappointing nature of Stirling’s midweek showing with Morton, the visiting fans making their way to the game could be forgiven for being a little pessimistic. There were real fears that the Binos could be turned over however the men in blue showed the great pride and battling spirit that was lacking on Wednesday.

For the most part Stirling would be forced to defend however the Binos started and ended the game strongly to claim a point against a one-dimensional Hamilton side without the prolific Richard Offiong.

Offiong’s late absence meant that Twigg came in to make his debut after signing from Oxford United. Accies may play a 4-5-1 formation but they are far from defensively minded side. Wingers Barrau, who stepped in for Mark Gilhaney, and David Graham were encouraged to push forward and support their forward however it was Mark McLaughlin who was the biggest threat as he constantly bustled his way into the penalty box, winning several key aerial duels.

In the opposite dugout Allan Moore threw new signing Erik Paartalu into the side in order to shore up the midfield, a role which in which he performed well. The Aussie took the place of Steven Bell, who missed out through injury, while Nicky Walker started on the right, utility man Hay going out to the left. At either end of the field Albion remained untouched.

It was forward David McKenna who threatened first as Albion started the game full of promise and with a great deal more bite and energy in midfield than in previous weeks. As a whole the game started rather slowly but McKenna was lively in the opening ten minutes to dance past three challenges twenty-five yards out and send a sighting shot at goal narrowly over and wide. Stirling would continue to have the better of the opening stages as a misplaced pass in the home defence fell at McKenna’s feet. The former St Mirren forward flicked the ball to Paartalu whose effort was weak from twenty yards despite having a reasonably clean vision of Cerny’s goal.

The home side were gradually working their way back into the affair and would dominate much of the remainder of the game. As always the red and white hoops were dangerous down each flank however Stirling dealt with the majority of their crosses well. Xavier Barrau had the best of the first half efforts for the Accies, sending a header off the foot of the post while McLaughlin looked dangerous in the visiting penalty box for the first time, knocking a presentable looking chance wide.

It was not until the opening of the second half that Hamilton would look the thirty-plus points better than Stirling as the Binos were forced firmly onto the defensive as the home midfield sharpened up and closed down much more quickly, affording the Binos little time or space and consequently forcing many errors. Stirling quickly found themselves playing against a brick wall; every time they played the ball forward it was quickly coming back at them.

Several opportunities were carved out by the home side in the opening moments of the second half, with McLaughlin again the main threat. The big midfielder knocked the ball over the bar having temporarily lost Paartalu while Accies had a penalty shout turned down when Andy Graham blocked a cross with a combination of his hand and his midriff. Had referee Winter, who enraged the Albion fans as well as Allan Moore throughout with a series of strange decisions including failing to award an indirect free-kick in the first half for a clear passback when McKenna looked a real threat and presenting Hamilton a second-half corner that surely never was, awarded the spot kick it would have been a harsh decision.

This would turn out to be the home side’s last meaningful threat on Christie’s goal, although there would be a series of efforts considerably further off target later in the game as Accies ran out of ideas. Earlier in the period Elebert straight at Christie having managed to break the Albion’s offside trap following a corner kick. Had the central defender, who won the sponsor’s man of the match award, scored, the Binos defence would doubtless have had a few critical words of the referee’s assistant.

Moments later, James McCarthy would watch as his powerful effort from the edge of the box flicked off the back of Paartalu and narrowly wide of Christie’s goal. McLaughlin had also remained a threatened as a lovely ball into the box from deep was diverted just wide of goal by the midfielder’s forehead. From the Albion supporters’ point of view the ball was always travelling wide however some of the Hamilton support must have thought the ball had found the top corner of the net.

Just as they had slowly worked their way into the game Hamilton would slowly fade in the final ten minutes, gradually stagnating as they ran out of ideas to break Stirling down. The Binos even carved out a couple of fine openings. Firstly Aitken’s powerful free-kick was parried downwards by Cerni and only just bounced out of the reach of a blue shirted attacker before McKenna broke free down the left channel and saw a fine angled drive turned away by a superb fingertip save.

Still there would be home attacks to repel as Hamilton pushed for a winning goal that would extend their lead at the top of the table. Christie would not be tested but Hamilton were intent on pushing deep into Stirling territory. Their desperation to level matters was highlighted by a McLaughlin dive in the closing stages that incensed the Albion defence. The Hamilton midfielder was lucky only to see yellow for pushing Forsyth in the face while Ellis was also booked for his angry reaction to McLaughin’s antics.

On an afternoon that driving rain proliferated and a cold wind froze the Albion support, warmth could at least be taken from a performance filled with grit and determination. The difference between this and Wednesday’s showing was profound. Not for the first time Stirling have shown great tenacity against the league’s better opposition however for the remainder of the season, if the Binos are to achieve the miracle of safety, it is those sides in the bottom half of the table Albion’s best must be reserved for.