Dave at the double for Gayfield win

Jan 2 2009 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Friday

THIS will not go down as a vintage year for Stirling Albion but it ended on a high with a worthy victory at an unusually calm Arbroath last Saturday.

Not since 1990-91 have the Binos won twice at Gayfield in the same season. That campaign saw John Brogan’s men clinch the Division Two title with plenty to spare but a top-four finish would be a major achievement this time round.

The disastrous 3-0 defeat to Queen’s Park left Allan Moore’s men looking over their shoulder towards the relegation play-off place but this was an impressive response and keeps Albion within six points of Peterhead and East Fife.

It was an afternoon to savour, particularly for striker David McKenna, who ended a goal drought with a coolly-taken double in the first half.

The ex-St Mirren man should have completed his hat-trick after the break but will be delighted to have scored for the first time since Albion won 2-1 at the same venue on August 30.

In fact, McKenna went into this match having netted just once in the league since October last year. His overall performances of late have been excellent but at last he was able to provide the finishing touches as the Binos gained revenge for the 2-0 defeat dished out by the Red Lichties at Forthbank in November.

It was hard to know what to expect before kick-off. Arbroath saw their four-game winning streak ended by leaders Raith the previous week, while it was impossible to believe Stirling could perform as poorly as they had against Queen’s Park.

History was on the hosts’ side as they had lost just twice to Albion in the last 17 encounters but it was Stirling who prevailed. Moore’s men have lost just once away from home since mid-August and will have the chance to avenge that Recreation Park loss when Alloa come calling this weekend.

Moore, who celebrated his 44th birthday on Christmas Day, was again forced to make changes. Craig Molloy had returned to St Mirren after the end of his loan spell and Mark Docherty was ill.

Chris Hamilton was drafted in and Martin Grehan returned after illness.

Injury kept Nathan Taggart on the sidelines but Ross Forsyth and Andy Graham were fit enough for a place on the bench and Forsyth appeared as a late substitute.

Teenager Jon Boyle was introduced for his debut at the interval, replacing Grehan who was suffering from dizziness, and was hugely impressive. Boyle combined talent and industry and might have won a penalty late on but referee Scott MacDonald instead booked him for diving when most thought he should have pointed to the spot.

Albion were also denied a spot-kick in the first half when McKenna appeared to be impeded as he took the ball past keeper Darren Hill but again nothing was doing.

In the end none of that mattered as Stirling got the job done against an Arbroath outfit who relied on a direct approach. That showed promise in the first half but their threat waned after the interval and the early loss of lively frontman Bryan Scott – a scorer at Forthbank last month – didn’t help their cause.

Albion were positive from the start and in the first minute Grehan was denied by the legs of Hill. The opening goal was delayed by only a few seconds. A throw-in from the right was flicked on by Grehan and McKenna found the bottom corner with a clever overhead kick.

It must have been a huge relief for a player who was so prolific in the early part of last season but must have wondered when another goal would come, with so many chances having been missed in recent weeks.

McKenna made it all look so easy here and doubled Albion’s advantage on 31 minutes when Hamilton’s persistence allowed him to hook a lovely effort over Hill and just under the bar.

Arbroath were not without menace, though, and would have equalised in 25 minutes had it not been for an incredible intervention from Scott Christie. The keeper could only look on as Barry Sellars crashed a 25-yarder against the underside of the bar but somehow recovered to claw away Tosh’s diving header from the rebound.

You won’t see a better save anywhere all season.

Christie also thwarted Steven Weir but Arbroath got the goal they deserved five minutes before the interval. Sloppy defending allowed Steven Dorris to carry the ball across the pitch then cut in from the left. His driven shot was turned into his own net by Scott Gibb.

You wondered then if Albion would endure an aerial bombardment in the second half but it didn’t materialise.

Tosh came close to devouring a cross and Christie did well to hold a deflected effort late on but the better openings were Stirling’s.

McKenna shot wide with only the keeper to beat after being set up by the energetic Boyle and should have converted a close-range header following a corner.

But Stirling had already done enough and they saw out five minutes of stoppage time to seal an important three points.

ARBROATH: Hill, Rennie (Watson 46), McMullen, Raeside, Bishop, Campbell, Masson, Dorris, Scott (Tosh 8), Sellars, Weir (Gates 76). Subs not used: Reilly, Trialist.

ALBION: Christie, Lawrie, Lowing (Forsyth 82), Gibb, Roycroft, O’Neill, Hamilton, Murphy, McKenna, Grehan (Boyle 46), Devine. Subs not used: Corr, Graham, Hogarth.

Referee: Scott MacDonald