Binos stuck on drawing board

Oct 29 2008

ON THE face of it, this was a good point gained in appalling conditions but a sixth draw in 11 matches left Binos boss Allan Moore a frustrated figure.

“It takes a rollicking at half-time every week to get us going but draws are not good enough,” said Moore. “Too many draws last season got us into this division and we won’t get out of it if we don’t break the habit.”

He watched his troops cancel out Chris Aitken’s crisply-taken opener on the half hour when John O’Neill smashed a stunning volley into the top corner nine minutes after half-time.

The hosts then had Ryan Stevenson sent off for a second booking but Albion squandered several chances to claim what would have been a precious victory.

Instead, they were forced to settle for a third successive 1-1 draw on the road as Ayr preserved their unbeaten home record at a wild and windswept Somerset Park.

Stirling have certainly played in worse weather – the infamous match against Berwick at an Arctic-like Shielfield in December 1990 when the floodlights were shaking during a winter storm springs to mind – but the wind and rain made life difficult in the extreme.

It wasn’t a day when you would have wanted to be a goalkeeper but both Myles Hogarth and Stephen Grindlay performed admirably and the latter had a good case for being named man of the match, with terrific second-half saves.

Goalscorer O’Neill was in fine form for the visitors while the groundsman also merits a mention for having the playing surface in pristine condition.

Ayr were the better team in the first half but Stirling held the upper hand in the second period. Stevenson’s dismissal for words said to the stand-side assistant just before the hour certainly helped the visitors – the midfielder had earlier been booked after tangling with Ross Forsyth – but Brian Reid’s claim that his team would have won if it had been 11-a-side overlooks the fact it was 1-1 by the time Stevenson departed.

Dismissals have been a feature of recent encounters between the teams on this ground and Albion contrived to lose 3-0 here a couple of years ago despite playing most of the match with an extra man. David Lowing – now with Stirling – was the man sent off on that occasion and he had a sound game against his former club on Saturday.

Moore made changes to the team following the 2-1 defeat by Brechin the previous week, with Ian Harty deemed fit enough only for a berth on the bench. His place was taken by David McKenna, with Liam Corr playing just off the front in a 4-4-1-1 formation. Harty and Martin Grehan were heavily involved after coming on as substitutes in the second half.

There was also a welcome return for Stewart Devine – a late replacement for Lowing after more than two months out as Albion stayed seven points behind their third-placed hosts in the table. Perhaps ominously, there are now six adrift of the play-offs and you wouldn’t bet against the leading quartet of Brechin, Raith, Ayr and East Fife retaining their top-four places.

There was encouragement here for Moore, though, and his side must now rack up wins against Stranraer, Alloa and Arbroath – three of the teams below them – in the coming weeks to put pressure on the clubs above them. With a bit of luck and sharper finishing, the Binos would already be in the mix but too many chances are being passed up.

The treacherous nature of the game was highlighted in the opening minutes when Hogarth attempted a clearance, only to watch the wind catch the ball and carry it behind him for a corner. Albion were never under siege but they had a let-off in 14 minutes when Nathan Taggart lost the ball and Ryan Borris might have done better than shoot at Hogarth.

Physically, Ayr looked a stronger side and they were getting a few too many crosses into the box, eventually profiting on 30 minutes when Aitken controlled an Allan Dempsie delivery and whacked the ball emphatically into the net.

The former Forthbank favourite netted in front of the travelling fans but had the good grace not to celebrate in their faces, perhaps mindful of his contribution to the Stirling cause over the past few years.

Albion then claimed a penalty when Mark Docherty tumbled but it was difficult to make a judgment and referee Alan Muir wasn’t interested. Early in the second half, a quick break saw Ayr almost double their lead but David Gormley’s effort was blocked by Forsyth.

Three minutes later came the equaliser. Docherty delivered the ball into the path of O’Neill who controlled it and hammered a drive past Grindlay for his third goal of the campaign.

When Stevenson walked, the opportunity was there for Stirling to claim victory but Grindlay saved from Grehan and Corr’s follow-up was blocked when a goal looked certain.

Then Andy Graham, storming forward from right back, slipped in Grehan but the ex-Motherwell man went for placement rather than power and curled the ball over the top. Grehan, introduced to the right side of midfield, then saw the keeper slide across the turf to keep out his header at the post with seven minutes left.

Aitken tested Hogarth at the other end but Stirling were doing most of the pressing and they almost won it in 87 minutes when Grehan’s close-range shot was stopped by Grindlay, but the rebound agonisingly eluded top scorer Harty as Albion chalked up yet another draw.

Ayr: Grindlay, Keenan, McGowan (Agnew 67), Walker, Campbell, Stevenson, Borris, Aitken, Prunty, Gormley, Dempsie. Subs not used: Williams, Henderson, Gillies, Stewart.

Albion: Hogarth, Graham, Lowing (Devine 81), Lawrie, Forsyth, O’Neill, Taggart (Grehan 55), Molloy, McKenna (Harty 65), Corr, Docherty. Subs not used: Murphy, Christie.

Referee: Alan Muir