Crunch games in play-off bid

Mar 11 2009

STIRLING Albion face a massive four days in their play-off bid with a home double header against rivals Brechin and Peterhead.

Jim Duffy’s side are the visitors to Forthbank on Saturday and the Blue Toon make the journey south on Tuesday night for a pair of fixtures that could have a huge bearing on Albion’s top-four aspirations.

The Binos came from behind to secure a thrilling 3-2 win at Alloa on Saturday, thanks to a David McKenna double and a Martin Grehan strike, extending their unbeaten run in Division Two to nine games since Queen’s Park won 3-0 at Forthbank on December 20.

With other results going their way, Allan Moore’s men ended the weekend in fifth place, ahead of East Fife on goal difference and just a point behind Brechin and Peterhead, although City had a game in hand at home to struggling Stranraer last night and Peterhead also had midweek meeting with Arbroath at Balmoor.

Successive home draws against Arbroath and Alloa dented Albion’s play-off hopes and they trailed 1-0 at the interval at Recreation Park before a disputed penalty sparked a revival that led to a 3-2 victory in a match that could have ended 5-5.

Binos boss Moore said: “I was delighted with the result, especially with it being a local derby. It was an entertaining game and Alloa might feel a bit aggrieved because probably nobody deserved to lose. Both teams deserve a lot of credit for getting the ball down and passing it.

“At half-time we were just disappointed with losing the goal but I thought we started the game magnificently and knocked the ball about well. We know Brown Ferguson likes to drive from the middle of the park but they only had one guy in the box and we should have been able to deal with that.

“I thought Ryan McCord was outstanding and it’s disappointing that this was his last game. We can’t extend his loan for another month because if he goes back to Dundee United after the end of March the rules mean he can’t play for them for the last few weeks of the season.

“He has been magnificent and I would like to publicly thank Craig Levein for allowing him to come here. Ryan has enjoyed it and, if he is not involved in the first team for United next season, then hopefully we might be able to get him on loan again.

“We had not played bad football in the previous couple of games but everyone has something to play for and that makes it difficult. We were on a great run and the fans think we should be winning these games at home to Alloa and Arbroath but we only won on Saturday because we stuck to our task and played some really good football.

“We changed our formation a bit because we didn’t really have any wide players in midfield so we were relying on our full-backs to get forward. We passed the ball brilliantly at times and we dug in when it mattered – we will need to do that in the remaining ten games.

“The third goal summed up our performance. It was a great move and we had three players waiting to tap the ball in after the keeper had saved Ryan’s shot. Every game we play against Alloa seems to be end-to-end but thankfully we got the result this time.”

Moore admitted Albion got a break when they were awarded a penalty early in the second half for Scott Buist’s challenge on Ross Forsyth, which McKenna converted to make it 1-1.

He said: “The penalty decision was 50/50 and I’d probably be raging if it was the other way round but that’s football. Their player dived in a bit and Ross Forsyth was knocked off the ball. I don’t think their fans were happy but I don’t make the decisions.”

Wasps gaffer Allan Maitland felt referee Scott MacDonald blundered in awarding the visitors a spot-kick but thought both teams deserved credit for serving up a derby thriller. The sides played out a goalless draw at Forthbank a week ago but the other three meetings have produced a total of 17 goals – a pair of 3-2 wins for Stirling and a 4-3 triumph for Alloa.

Maitland said: “That’s easily the best game of football we have had at the Recs this season. I thought it was a fantastic game. Stirling Albion played really, really well but I thought we created the best chances of the game throughout. If every game was like that then I don’t think people would be complaining too much.

“At 1-0 I thought we were comfortable and for me it wasn’t a penalty kick. In fact, I’m convinced it was not a penalty and I thought that was a poor decision.

“That changed the game. Stirling Albion got the benefit and made the most of it.

“They then scored a terrific second goal but we got ourselves back into it and Stuart Noble missed a great chance to put us 3-2 up. There wasn’t much wrong with our team. Brown Ferguson was magnificent driving forward from the middle and we created plenty chances.

“Their third goal came from our corner and we could have equalised after it but if your players play as well as that you can’t really complain. The game was played in a great spirit, although there were a few dodgy tackles going in near the end, which was just down to frustration.”