Another precious point for the Reds

Feb 25 2009 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Wednesday

A DOZEN points separate leaders Raith and Stirling but for the third time this season, Rovers failed to get the better of the Binos.

Albion’s five-match winning run might have come to a halt but a second 1-1 draw of the campaign at Stark’s Park was a worthy enough achievement and Raith were also defeated at Forthbank as recently as last month.

This was a game that could have gone either way so a draw was probably fair. Allan Moore’s men were the better team early on and took the lead through David McKenna after just two minutes.

Raith’s equaliser via top scorer Kevin Smith was barely merited when it arrived in 21 minutes but the Kirkcaldy club had their best spell of the game in the lead-up to half-time and might have gone in front before the break.

The second period was generally even, with flurries at either end, and Stirling almost snatched victory in the dying seconds. Raith’s unbeaten home record remains intact, although their three-point lead over second-placed Ayr looks perilous after a third draw on the bounce.

Both sides had been in cold storage since January 31 but the rest had not been kind to the Binos, who were without banned duo Ross Forsyth and John O’Neill. Illness kept David Lowing on the bench and on-loan Falkirk defender Scott Gibb was ruled out with an ankle knock sustained in training.

All that added up to a bit of a headache for Moore, who had previously been able to name a virtually unchanged line-up for most of 2009. Andy Lawrie was drafted into central defence, Ryan McCord took O’Neill’s berth in midfield and former St Mirren midfielder Mark Docherty was asked to fill in at left-back.

In the second half, Stewart Devine reverted to full-back and Docherty pushed into midfield while Michael Mullen made a lively enough debut as a substitute in place of Chris Hamilton following his recent move from Stranraer.

Stirling have enjoyed some terrific results at Stark’s Park in the recent past and made a dream start here. Barely two minutes had elapsed when Martin Grehan muscled a defender out the road and slid the ball through for McKenna, whose shot had just enough on it to elude David McGurn and creep into the corner.

McKenna had also netted against Rovers at Forthbank in January and this took his tally for the season to six, three of which have come against an Arbroath team who visit Forthbank on a run of three successive wins this weekend.

McKenna’s haul may not yet be weighty but this was another day when he and Grehan linked up well against a strong home defence. Mullen’s arrival offers another dimension but you feel the current pairing is vital to the play-off push.

McCord, making his first start on loan from Dundee United, sprayed some fine passes around an uneven surface and tested McGurn with an angled drive as Albion pressed. Devine had a shot blocked in an impressive opening period that was shattered by a Raith leveller midway through the half.

A Stirling corner came to nothing and soon Raith were on the attack. With the visiting defence slow to react at a thrown-in, Robert Sloan’s cross was met by the unmarked Smith, who nodded past Christie.

It was the on-loan Dundee United hitman’s 13th goal in 20 league starts and it revived Rovers. Stirling were now looking hesitant at the back and Mark Ferry shot into the side netting before Smith, looking offside, blasted over.

Graham Weir was next to come close but Christie did just enough to divert his effort for a corner, from which a header was sent over by another ex-Hearts man in Stephen Simmons. There was another escape when Lawrie and Scott Christie got in a tangle but Smith delayed too long and the chance was gone.

Immediately after the restart, Christie made a wonderful save to claw away a Sloan free-kick but Albion soon recovered their poise. Grehan fired wide after a dance through the defence and Devine had an effort saved, while Raith sub Iain Williamson might have done better than shoot limply at Christie.

In the last minute, referee Steve Conroy harshly penalised the hosts for a passback but Devine thumped the ball against the wall. There was still time for McKenna to almost carve out a winner when he got past McGurn but the angle was tight and his cut-back was just out of Docherty’s reach.

Other results mean Stirling are back to sixth place but there are 13 games to go and the play-offs are only two tantalising points away.

Raith: McGurn, Wilson, Cook, Campbell, Davidson, Simmons, Sloan, Smith, Wales (Walker 68), Weir, Ferry (Williamson 68). Subs not used: Lumsden, Wardlaw, O’Connor.

Albion: Christie, Graham, Docherty, Lawrie, Roycroft, McCord, Hamilton (Mullen 64), Murphy, McKenna, Grehan, Devine. Subs not used: Lowing, Boyle, Corr, Hogarth.

Referee: Steve Conroy