James Stewart Reporting

STIRLING ALBION TEAM-

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

Goals- None

Crowd- 527

 

Stirling Albion host league leaders Peterhead this weekend to test their recent run of form. Peterhead look like a team that will be challenging for promotion this year as manager Neale Cooper has brought in some new bodies, to try and get Peterhead in to the first division for the first time in their history. Allan Moore only made one change to last week’s squad that had to settle for a draw against Raith Rovers as Steven Waddle made room on the bench for Martin Grehan who returns to the squad after a reoccurrence of a foot injury.

On a rather dull-damp it was the Binos who started things off shooting towards the monument end of Forthbank, and the first chance of the game came when Nathan Taggart managed to pick out John O’Neil with a well placed cross into the box but O’Neil couldn’t control his header as the ball went over the bar a goal kick. The Binos continued to keep the pressure on Peterhead as John O’Neil seen his free kick blocked before collecting the rebound and passing it into the back post for David McKenna who could only manage to head over the bar. The Binos soon thought they had something to celebrate as Andy Graham managed to set up David McKenna who tapped the ball behind Michal Kula and into the back of the net only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.

Peterhead didn’t look like a team that deserved to be leading the league as they were struggling to find their feet in the game as the Binos managed to continue to pressure the Peterhead goal as a good free kick from 20 yards out gave Mark Docherty a chance to break the deadlock but Michal Kula was on hand to tip the ball over the bar for a corner. Things didn’t improve for Kula as he started to panic as Nathan Taggart managed to get a cross in t the box where Craig Molloy was waiting to pounce but his effort was blocked by a Peterhead defender. Mark Docherty was in the thick of it moments later as he managed to get to the by-line before swinging in a cross to Ian Harty who had a good chance to open the scoring but somehow Harty could only manage to tip the ball around Kula’s right hand post. Peterhead finally got a sight at goal as Stuart McKay capitalized on a mistake between Craig Molloy and Mark Docherty. McKay managed to cross to Martin Bavidge but Bavidge could only manage a poor header that went well past the post. The visitors soon had another chance to take the lead when Daniel Moore gathered a pass from Craig Gunn before flicking the ball into the path of Martin Bavidge who headed directly at Myles Hogarth. AS the first half drew to a close it was the Binos who had who had a chance to score when John O’Neil managed to skip past a couple of Peterhead defenders before having the ball stole from him by team mate Ian Harty after a slight misunderstanding, Harty could only manage to send his shot wide of the goal from an offside position and it was clear that both the Assistant Manager and Allan Moore were annoyed with Harty’s move when O’Neil was on side and could have grabbed the lead for the Binos just before the break.

Half Time: Stirling Albion 0 V 0 Peterhead

As the second half got under way it was the Binos who looked the livelier side and soon had a chance when a Mark Docherty strike was saved by Michal Kula. Ian Harty was looking to make up for his mistake at the end of the first half when he set up Nathan Taggart who managed to his a shot across the face of goal and out for a goal kick. Taggart soon changed from shooter to provider as he managed to get to the by-line and hook a cross into Mark Docherty who managed to force a good save from Kula. Peterhead soon had a couple of chances to threaten Myles Hogarth’s goal with a couple of corners, the first seen a Stuart McKay header deflected past the post for another corner that was punched clear by Myles Hogarth but the ball fell nicely for Martin Bavidge who managed to get into the box before hitting a low shot at Myles Hogarth who could only gather at the second attempt. The first substitutions of the game came when Neale Cooper decided that Sean Fleming would be replaced by Graham Sharp and Allan Moore decided that he would change things around for the Binos as David McKenna was replaced by Martin Grehan who went onto the left wing as Mark Docherty came into a more centralised position and John O’Neil joined Ian Harty up front. As the game continued it was starting to look like neither side would be scoring and in response to the rapidly slowing game both Allan Moore and Neale Cooper made their second changes of the game as Nathan Taggart was replaced by Chris Hamilton for the Binos and for the Blue Toon David Ross replaces Stuart McKay..

The changes seemed to work for the Binos as Martin Grehan headed the ball into the back of the net after a good cross from John O’Neil but referee Steven McLean disallowed the goal as he ruled that Grehan had pushed a Peterhead defender. With both sides looking unlikely to take the lead in what was becoming a rather dull game things nearly changed as Graham Sharp headed goal wards for Peterhead but Myles Hogarth was in the perfect position to make the save. Stirling made their final change of the game as John O’Neil limped off with a slight groin injury and was replaced by youngster Liam Corr. Peterhead had another chance to take the lead for a Stuart Anderson free kick but Anderson failed to keep his effort low enough. Stirling soon looked like a winning goal was coming their way as Ian Harty set up Craig Molloy who could only see his shot deflected behind for a corner. From the corner Peterhead failed to clear their lines and Ian Harty had the perfect chance to get the late winner but he hit his shot directly at Michal Kula in what was the last meaningful chance of the game.

Well another draw for the Binos in what was a game where neither side looked likely to score even when we did manage to hit the back of the net the goals were chalked off as the officials decided that there was some infringement of the rules. On any other day the goals may have counted but knowing what it can be like the goals may have been scored against us. Well next week we are off to Hampden to take on Queen’s Park in what will be the final game of the first quarter of the season.