Point taken but errors continue

Aug 13 2008 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Wednesday

NOT the victory that Stirling craved but a step in the right direction that ended a run of three early-season defeats.

John O’Neill nodded the hosts in front early in the second half but 13 minutes later Dougie Cameron was given far too much space to head Bobby Linn’s right-wing cross firmly into the net.

Albion might have won the first meeting between the teams since 2003 but the Methil men were worthy of a draw – an outcome that extends their unbeaten sequence in this fixture to eight matches.

Late goals had done for Albion in their league opener at Brechin and again at Arbroath in the first round of the League Cup and there were a couple of scares here before the point was secured.

Not that boss Allan Moore was in a great mood afterwards, clearly fed up with the mistakes and slack play that have prevented his squad from making a positive start to 2008-09.

Congested

Division Two already looks like it will be congested. After just two games, Brechin are the only team with a 100% record and Alloa the sole side without a point. If Albion can return from Stranraer on Saturday with a victory it will count as a satisfactory start.

East Fife arrived at Forthbank struggling to justify their tag of pre-season title favourites – Raith are the current fancy of the bookies – after losing to Peterhead in the league and Brechin in the CIS Cup without scoring a goal.

They started well in this game, controlling the match without creating much, and finished strongly. Albion were the better team in the middle period so overall a draw was probably about right.

The visitors fielded ex-Albion full-back Paul Nugent who left Forthbank in the summer almost seven years after making his debut. He played well, although Linn was the Fifers’ most dangerous operator. Former Scotland striker Stevie Crawford had a quiet game and was replaced by Chris Templeman 15 minutes from time.

Stirling keeper Scott Christie paid the price for a bad mistake at Arbroath so Myles Hogarth was in goal and Stewart Devine also had to make do with a place on the bench as teenager Liam Corr started.

It was a bit of a struggle early on but East Fife failed to make their possession count. Linn might have broken the stalemate on the half hour mark but thumped his shot wide.

Albion hadn’t troubled East Fife keeper Willie McCulloch at this stage with Ian Harty quieter than in previous matches but it took a wonderful save to keep out Paul Murphy’s curling shot before McCulloch made another smart stop to repel a Martin Grehan effort.

When Stirling did forge in front nine minutes after half-time it was their third goal in a row to come via a corner kick.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a side that specialised in failing to capitalise on corner after corner in previous seasons. It got to the stage where the players must have thought it illegal to profit from a set-piece but it’s all change now.

“Don’t ask me what the secret is because I don’t know!” joked Moore, after O’Neill had nodded in from close range following an assist from Andy Graham via Nathan Taggart’s delivery.

Stirling then had a penalty claim turned down when Harty appeared to be bundled over by McCulloch but referee Steven McLean – who waved cards for petty offences but allowed Dougie Cameron to escape punishment after clattering Andy Graham – wasn’t interested.

Almost immediately, it was 1-1. Corr passed the ball inside when he should have launched it down the line and it was shuttled to the right flank from where Linn crossed for Cameron to score easily.

Powerful

It was an open game after that. O’Neill stung McCulloch’s fingers with a powerful drive and Andy Lawrie had a chance with a late header but, if anything, it was East Fife who looked more threatening.

Hogarth made a fine stop from a Jonathan Smart volley but was lucky to escape when he let slip a Templeman effort and Cameron bashed the loose ball wide.

Defeat would have been harsh on Stirling who again worked hard but they retain an unwelcome tendency to over-play in the wrong areas. Football is a percentage game and the team who makes fewest mistakes normally win. Albion need to cut out the unforced errors that have cost them goals in all four fixtures this season.

Stirling Albion: Hogarth, Graham, Lowing, Lawrie, Forsyth, O’Neill, Corr (Trialist 75), Murphy, Harty (Waddell 90), Grehan (McKenna 63), Taggart. Subs not used: Devine, Christie.

East Fife: McCulloch, Nugent, Stanic, Smart, Tweed (McDonald 40), Stewart, Linn, Young, Crawford (Templeman 75), McManus (O’Reilly 75), Cameron. Subs not used: Gordon, Brown.

Referee: Steven McLean.