Fans were right to shout at us: Moore

Dec 23 2008 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Wednesday

HOW quickly things change. Victory at East Fife last weekend had Albion looking towards the top four but now the relegation play-off is closer.

This was a desperate afternoon for Stirling, who appeared to be on the up after encouraging performances against Peterhead, Partick Thistle and East Fife.

They were awful here and Queen’s Park fully deserved to win by such an emphatic margin to close to with a point of their shell-shocked hosts.

There were no redeeming features as the Reds slumped to a defeat that could have been even heavier, had the visitors not missed two sitters in the second half. Defensively disjointed, outfought in midfield and impotent up front, this was a day best forgotten for those who follow Stirling.

The supporters made their feelings clear at the end but Moore had no complaints about that: “I have to apologise to the fans. They had every right to shout at us after a performance like that.

“No one got pass marks. Even the substitutes flattered to deceive when they came on at half-time.”

The sides drew 1-1 at Hampden in October, when the concession of a late equaliser left Moore fuming. You have to imagine this result will put a dampener on his 44th birthday celebrations on Christmas Day.

Stirling went into the match seeking back-to-back shut-outs for the first time since April 2007 but they were off the pace from the start against opponents who looked a different proposition to the Hampden version of two months ago.

Then Gardner Speirs’ outfit carried little threat but on Saturday they hassled and harried from the off. In truth they ran Albion ragged to earn their third away success of 2008-09 after earlier triumphs at East Fife and Alloa.

Albion’s plans began to unravel even before kick-off when striker Martin Grehan was forced to withdraw because of illness, depriving Moore of a rare unchanged line-up.

John O’Neill took his place, with youth team player Jon Boyle promoted to the bench, but it was an unhappy afternoon for the assistant boss, who wasted a great chance to equalise when he sent a 25th-minute penalty on to the bar and over, having been pushed by Barry Douglas as he tried to get on the end of a cross.

O’Neill has fashioned a reputation as a spot-kick expert throughout his career but went for power rather than placement and paid the price. With Ian Harty having already squandered a late effort at Raith back in September, Albion certainly miss the penalty prowess of Chris Aitken, now of Ayr United.

Ex-Queen of the South man O’Neill was one of three players replaced at half-time – Mark Docherty and Craig Molloy also gave way – with Liam Corr, Chris Hamilton and Steven Waddell pitched into the fray.

By the interval Queen’s Park were two goals ahead and in command. Although Stewart Devine forced a good early save from David Crawford, the Glasgow club were much sharper and might have been in front before Jamie Brough headed Martin Ure’s cross into the net after Scott Christie had failed to cut out the cross.

That was in 23 minutes and, after O’Neill’s failure from 12 yards, the Spiders doubled their lead on the half-hour mark following more ropey defending.

Ex-Bino Steven Nicholas and Ryan Holms combined and the latter drove a low shot into the corner for his first senior goal. Stirling were floundering and only a narrow offside decision denied Queens a 3-0 interval lead. Paul Harkins was the player thwarted after great work by the excellent Paul Cairney.

Ian Watt scooped the ball over the bar from six yards early in the second period and Cairney and Coakley also came close as the visitors continued to impress with an energetic show that was too much for Albion.

At the other end David McKenna missed a couple of decent chances as his goal drought continued and Andy Lawrie should have done better than *fire over the top but it was all incidental. A comeback never looked on the cards.

Queen’s Park had failed to score on their previous four league visits to Forthbank but made it up for it in style, sealing all three points with a terrific last-minute goal on the break that eventually saw Holms tee up ex-Motherwell man Coakley, who walked the ball round Christie and rolled it into the net.

Albion now head for Arbroath on Saturday, having only beaten the Red Lichties twice in the last 17 attempts. Festive cheer, it would appear, is in short supply for Stirling.

STIRLING ALBION: Christie, Lawrie, Lowing, Gibb, Roycroft, Molloy (Hamilton 46), Docherty (Corr 46), Murphy, McKenna, O’Neill (Waddell 46), Devine. Subs not used: Boyle, Hogarth.

QUEEN’S PARK: Crawford, Ure, Douglas, Sinclair, Brough, Quinn, Holms, Cairney, Nicholas (Coakley 40), Harkins, Watt (Ronald 83). Subs not used: Boslem, Neill, Cowie.

Referee: Anthony Law