Stirling Albion signed off the 2004/05 season with a third successive defeat. The 3-2 defeat meant that they had lost 3 times to an Arbroath team which will be playing its football next season in the 3rd division. This record just about sums up a season which started with so much promise, stuttered in the second and third quarters of the season, and then looked to have the makings of a good finish until the final three matches, by which team the club had more or less guaranteed fourth place. However, if you had asked before the season started whether they would be happy to finish in the top half of the league, most would have happily accepted that.

The match was designated the Supporters Club Beach Party and they certainly brightened up a cold Gayfield with their colourful attire of snazzy shirts, shorts, sun hats and various inflatables. Let’s hope that the blue shark (or was it a dolphin?) finds agood owner after being confiscated by the humourless stewards. It may have seemed like a good idea at the time to have this theme for the day. After all, it is May and Arbroath is next to the sea. But, anywhere else, and it could have been a lovely day. Not Arbroath which always seems to be cold. Today we had everything. Sun, blue sky, a cold wind and hail and rain. Whoever advocates summer football has never been to Arbroath.

As for the game itself, 5 goals might give the impression that it was a thriller. It was anything but. Arbroath were by far the livelier a Binos team which showed 4 changes from the previous week. Myles Hogarth was back in his usual position in goals whilst Young Reds and stirlingalbion.com Player of the Year, Stewart Devine, was given a well earned rest. Youngster David Forbes took his place for only his second start of the season. In midfield, MacDonald and Aitken gave way for Canning and Hutchison.

The match kicked off with the Binos having the benefit of the wind. After 11 minutes Arbroath’s Swankie, sounds like a character from a pantomime, had a right foot shot which went past the post. However, Hogarth seemed to have it well covered. 5 minutes later, Brazil should have put Arbroath ahead when he sent a cross from the right wide of the post. Hogarth had started to go for the initial pass but hesitated leaving Brazil with a partly open goal.

However, Arbroath did take the lead after 25 minutes. I confess that I did not actually see the goal myself as I was busy talking to a fellow fan. However, I am reliably informed that a defensive error allowed McMullan to collect a clearance on the edge of the 18 yard box and send in a shot which went in off the post. 1-0 to Arbroath.

The match was not exciting the crowd and it wasn’t until 10 minutes before the interval that the Binos started to perform. In the space of 2 minutes there were 2 opportunities to score.
The first opportunity came with a ball over the top of the defence which Wilson collected. He went round the keeper but his shot was cleared by Bishop for a corner. The second opportunity fell to Dunn following a good run by Wilson who had cut inside and played a pass to Dunn. He rounded the keeper but the angle was too tight and his shot failed to hit the target. A few minutes later, Dunn found himself in a similar position after, again rounding the keeper, but, once again, the angle was too tight and his shot went behind.

2 minutes before half time, Arbroath’s McCulloch cut inside Forbes but his right foot shot went past the post leaving the half time score 1-0 to Arbroath.

During the interval, Arbroath made a substitution with Cook replacing goalscorer McMullan.

The Binos had the first attempt of the second half but Hutchison’s 25 yarder went well over. However, the equaliser did come in the 50th minute. Di Giacomo charged down a clearance by Inglis and the Killie striker raced on to the loose ball to level the score at 1-1. At that point, a hail storm had the fans who were standing in the open scurrying for cover.

Unfortunately, the teams were level for only a minutes as Arbroath took the lead from another defensive error. A cross from the left was allowed to go all the way across goal to Cook who despatched a right foot shot past Hogarth. 2-1 to Arbroath.

Before the match re-started, Arbroath made another change with Rennie being replaced by MacDonald.

The Binos responded to this reversal and Dunn should have equalised when a shot from Nugent was deflected into his path but his right foot shot went wide. The Binos then made their first change with Aitken coming on for Canning.

On the hour mark, McCulloch went past Scotland but his left foot shot went past. 5 minutes later, Arbroath increased their lead when a cross from the left was turned in by Henslee who was standing almost on the goal line. Another defensive lapse to leave a forward in that type of position.

Once again, before the match re-started Arbroath made their final substitution with Brazil being replaced by McAulay. The Binos then made 2 changes with Ferguson replacing O’Brien and, shortly after that, Kevin MacDonald came on for Hutchison.

After 75 minutes, the Binos reduced the deficit when Wilson got the better of full back Watson and cut inside to send a right foot shot past Inglis. 3-2 to Arbroath.

Ferguson became the only player to be booked when he was late in challenging McAulay. With only a few minutes remaining, the Binos’ fans behind the goals formed a conga line but, like the team itself, it soon petered out.

Referee Duff played 2 minutes of injury time before he blew his whistle to bring the match and season to an end. The Binos’ players left the field to applause from the travelling support, more appreciative of the effort over the season than today’s performance.

The coming week should see an announcement on which players will be leaving the club. We already know that Neville will be leaving whilst Di Giacomo will be returning to Kilmarnock where his future can only be called uncertain. Speculation abounds about which other players will be released but I prefer to wait for something concrete. We now face a few weeks of free Saturdays but, before you know it, the new season will be upon us.

I’m now off to enjoy a nice bottle of Shiraz as I have the night off. I just hope that the Binos fans who dressed up have managed to thaw out. I hope to see you at the pre season friendlies.