Stirling turned in one of their bleakest performances under Allan Moore on Tuesday evening at a windswept Links Park as they crashed out of the Challenge Cup to Montrose by the rather embarrassing figure of five goals to one. The Third Division team were full value for their victory as they dominated the game from start to finish against a fringe Albion team.
The Challenge Cup match, in juxtaposition with vital league clashes against St Johnstone and Morton, clearly took a back seat in terms of importance in Moore’s mind as he elected to field a largely reserve squad. Doubtless the Albion manager felt his players would have a fair chance of progressing against a Montrose side that proved too slick and motivated for an Albion side that looked like they’d rather be in their living rooms watching evening soaps. The front pairing of Colin Cramb and Darren Gribben were particularly disappointing while the midfield just seemed to have one of those nights where nothing would work. A completely rebuilt defence looked shambolic although the less-than-convincing goalkeeping of Scott Christie hardly flattered them.
The Binos could perhaps be forgiven for taking some time to adjust to the artificial pitch as the side train solely on grass due to the work going on at Forthbank but by the time John Baird swung a hopeful shot over the hopelessly slow Christie to make the score two-nil after thirty-two minutes the time for excuses was up. By this stage Albion had fallen behind, albeit to a bizarre penalty decision that seemed to take everyone at Links Park by surprise, a Montrose forward stumbling over a back-tracking Stirling player as Christie gathered the ball with ease. Even Baird’s penalty was unconvincing but it slipped into the net nevertheless. The nonchalant reaction of the Albion team set the tone for the rest of the evening as speculative efforts from Gribben, Aitken and a looping Cramb header were all the First Division club could muster as a response. Albion have been become known as a polished passing team under Moore but it was the home side playing the much better football as they adapted to the conditions excellently, showing a great deal more verve, vigour and determination than their visitors.
If Allan Moore went bananas at the interval it certainly did not show as the pattern of the game remained unchanged. Steven Bell had been brought on in place of Marek Tomana but the momentum had already swung too far in the home side’s favour. Montrose promptly added a third, Wood rushing onto a through ball to slot past Christie although the Albion goalkeeper really should have read the situation better and cleared the danger. In the aftermath of the goal Stewart Devine was booked for his protests to the linesman. Its hard not to have a little sympathy for the left-back, Wood had certainly strayed, but Christie should still have prevented the goal. Briefly Stirling responded, debutant Ross Harris volleying in off the far post after the ball broke to him on the edge of the area. As the tannoy announced that “Rolf” Harris had scored Montrose made a swift repost, Wood leaping like a kangaroo inside the Albion penalty area to head home his second in three minutes – another goal that was all too easy. Baird would score a carbon copy goal seven minutes later to complete his hat-trick, Stein again supplying the ammunition as the Montrose forwards seemed to be playing a game of missy with the Albion goal. Stirling did managed to control some of the play late in the game, a great strike by Aitken superbly touched onto the post by Peat but this was very much a rare cohesive attack from the men in red. Montrose, on the other hand, continued to slice through the Binos defence and could have had six, Christie redeemed himself a little with a sharp block but by this stage it was entirely irrelevant.
From a Stirling perspective this was very much a match to forget. Nothing seemed to come off for the Albion fringe players, who did not help themselves with some lethargic performances and poor decision making. Montrose deserve plenty of credit for the way they performed with the front three of Baird, Stein and Wood particularly impressive.
Stirling
Albion FC
