Binos draw with Rovers

Jan 20 2010 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Wednesday

THE first ever Scottish Cup meeting between the teams won’t live long in the memory as Stirling’s season came out of cold storage with a slow-burner of a game.

On a chilly Monday night in Coatbridge, one day short of five weeks since their most recent outing against Dumbarton in Division Two, Allan Moore’s men were given a tough work-out by their Third Division opponents, who were well worthy of a Forthbank replay tonight (Wednesday).

In a game of few chances, Stirling enjoyed more possession and the better of the limited opportunities but 0-0 was about right. Effort was not in short supply but an increasingly frost-bound surface made good football difficult and the fact neither team had played for more than a month hardly helped matters.

Reconvene

They will reconvene this evening, with a fifth-round trip to Dingwall to face Ross County – 4-0 winners over Highland League Inverurie Locos on Monday – on offer.

Stirling had toiled to oust Auchinleck 2-1 in the previous round while Rovers had so far taken care of Lossiemouth and Elgin City. Their league form might have shaded after a fine start but they went into this one with just one home defeat and proved awkward, organised opponents.

There was never any chance of a repeat of the 5-3 win Stirling chalked up on their last visit to this venue in April 2004. From an early stage it looked as if one goal would be enough to settle the tie but it didn’t come. For the visitors there was comfort in a first shut-out since September while the hosts became only the third team to prevent the Binos scoring this term.

Stirling were without cup-tied former Ayr midfielder Chris Aitken and on-loan Dundee defender Craig McKeown while Martin Grehan was on the bench as David McKenna and Michael Mullen started up front following the recent departure of Bryan Prunty, who has now joined Alloa on an 18-month contract.

Brightly

Rovers began brightly but failed to seriously test Scott Christie in the first half while at the other end Derek Gaston clutched a McKenna shot and blocked a header from a corner – and that was about it in terms of chances before the break.

The second period was a bit brighter. In 54 minutes, McKenna’s angled drive was parried by Gaston then the keeper got lucky when he spilled an Andy Gibson corner and Grehan could only lift the loose ball over the crossbar from close range.

Scoring goals has been Rovers’ problem this season – just 14 in 16 Division Three games - and that is the reason why they are fifth in the table, three points shy of the play-offs, despite possessing a better defensive record than any of their rivals.

They were not without their moments and midway through the second half, former Strathclyde University striker Pat Walker fizzed a shot narrowly wide of the far post after some dithering in the Albion defence while substitute Mark Canning could have damaged his former club but his control let him down when the ball broke to him in the box.

Binos’ full-back Ross Forsyth was unlucky to see his header cleared off the line from an O’Brien corner then with seven minutes remaining McKenna cut in from the left to tee up Grehan but Rovers somehow managed to scramble the ball clear.

Anxious

The closing stages were the most open period of the game and there was one anxious moment for the travelling fans to endure – midfielder Paul Tyrrell’s 25-yard drive took a horrible bounce off the bobbly surface but thankfully Christie was right behind it.

Part two will be played to a finish tonight, with extra time and penalties if required. Those who witnessed this close encounter wouldn’t bet against it going the distance.

Albion Rovers: Gaston, Reid, McGowan, Donnelly, Benton, O’Byrne, McKeown (O’Boyle 88), Tyrrell, McCusker (Canning 80), Walker (Ferry 85), Boyle. Subs not used: Dignam, Ewings.

Stirling Albion: Christie, Feaks, Forsyth, Graham, Murphy (Devine 82), Robertson, Gibson (Taggart 75), Roycroft, McKenna, Mullen (Grehan 53), O’Brien. Subs not used: Young, Hogarth.

Referee: George Salmond