The Binos fail to home in on rivals

Mar 18 2009

ALBION’S first defeat since just before Christmas left them seven points adrift of the play-offs going into the vital home game last night (Tuesday) with in-form Peterhead.

On a horribly windy day, Stirling were behind, then in front, but eventually lost out when Stephen Ettien, the best player on the park, took advantage of an error by Scott Christie midway through the second half to hand Brechin their third win of the season over Stirling.

Don’t be fooled by the scoreline. This was never a thriller and there were probably only about half a dozen shots on target, but five resulted in goals. The second half was a non-event and the visitors held on way too comfortably after on-loan Hamilton hitman Ettien had bagged his second of the day.

The Frenchman fired the visitors in front with a crisp finish in 13 minutes after a raking diagonal ball from Neil Janczyk but Stirling’s reply was swift and Sean Roycroft nodded home from close range after Craig Nelson could only push out a Liam Corr corner.

When John O’Neill guided the ball into the corner from the edge of the area 10 minutes short of the interval, Albion looked on course for a vital victory but ex-Inverness striker Rory McAllister made it 2-2 with a fine header in first-half stoppage time and Ettien won it after Christie spilled a Kevin Byers shot during a lifeless second half.

It doesn’t seem long since Stirling climbed above Brechin with victory at Glebe Park to end a glorious January but they seem to have lost their way, especially on home soil. Last week’s thrilling 3-2 win at Alloa should have provided a top-four platform but instead the Binos look as if they may now have missed the play-off train.

Injuries, suspension and the February interlude because of poor weather have all combined to blunt Stirling’s edge, although they have toiled at Forthbank all season where only four victories have been chiselled out in 13 attempts.

There is no doubt that the players and fans seem to thrive on the road where the atmosphere seems to be better, although Saturday’s trip to Queen’s Park may be fraught with difficulty given Albion’s poor performances against the Spiders this season.

With the top six all playing each other, Saturday was a pivotal day in Division Two and it couldn’t have gone worse for Stirling. This defeat and Peterhead’s home win over East Fife left them playing catch-up when only a couple of weeks ago it looked likely that four clubs would slug it out until May for the vacant play-off places.

With Scott Gibb suspended and Andy Graham and David Lowing injured, Ross Forsyth moved into the centre of defence alongside Roycroft while Corr was drafted in for Ryan McCord, who has returned to Dundee United following the expiry of his loan deal.

Corr hasn’t had a lot of luck this season and was replaced by new signing Robert Dunn – now in his third spell at the club – after picking up a knock in a first half when both teams looked lively going forward but less than secure at the back.

Albion started brightly and Martin Grehan almost took advantage of defensive dithering inside 60 seconds but Brechin got away with it and took the lead when Ettien found himself in the clear to beat Christie with a finish that was more difficult than it looked.

Roycroft poached his first goal since scoring a stunner in a 4-1 win at Brechin more than two years ago and O’Neill’s seventh of the campaign had Albion in front. The Binos had never lost on the six previous occasions when the assistant manager had found the net but that statistic was ended here as Brechin fought back.

The Angus outfit’s form took a dive when Michael O’Neill left for Shamrock Rovers but they have picked up again under Jim Duffy and the goals of McAllister and Ettien should ensure they make the play-offs.

It is doubtful we should still have been playing when McAllister powered home a Willie Dyer cross more than a minute into first-half stoppage time but it was shoddy defending by Stirling, who should have done more to prevent the delivery.

The least said about the second half the better so let’s keep it brief. Ettien was alert to seize on Christie’s slip with 22 minutes remaining and Stirling never looked like equalising. Brechin, as they usually do, won at Forthbank again.

Stirling Albion: Christie, Lawrie, Devine (Boyle 84), Forsyth, Roycroft, O’Neill, Corr (Dunn 34), Murphy, McKenna, Grehan (Mullen 76), Docherty. Subs not used: Waddell, Hogarth.

Brechin City: Nelson, Walker, Dyer, Seeley, B Smith, Janczyk (King 60), Nimmo (Canning 86), Fusco, McAllister, Ettien, Byers. Subs not used: Murie, D Smith, McCluskey.

Referee: Steven McLean