Albion cup windfall
Stirling Albion started 2017 with a 3-2 loss at East Stirling before Scottish Cup ties against holders Inverness Caley.
The Binos drew 0-0 at home, earning a replay which was televised on Sky and worth around £75,000 to the club. They held their heads high in a 2-0 reverse.
Striker Darren Smith scored a hat-trick in an amazing 7-0 win against Montrose. A draw against Arbroath (1-1) and a win over Berwick (2-1) followed before defeats at East Fife (1-0), Clyde (2-1) and a draw with Annan (2-2).
On the rugby field there were narrow losses for Stirling County 16-15 at home to Boroughmuir and 10-6 to Ayr while a 31-13 loss to Heriots left them waiting to see if they would be in the play-offs. BT Cup hopes were ended by Ayr (32-18).
In BT West League Two Strathendrick lost to Paisley and beatWaysiders/Drumpellier.
Andy Murray went all the way to the final of the first Grand Slam of the season in Australia but for the fifth time he came away with the runner-up plate, losing to Novak Djokovic.
Big brother Jamie and new partner Bruno Soares went one better to clinch Jamie’s first Grand Slam title in men’s doubles and Stirling University’s Gordon Reid was successful in the wheelchair singles and runner-up in the doubles.
Milton went out of the Scottish Amateur Cup and Bannockburn lost in the West of Scotland event. Bridge of Allan Sports Club topped squash’s East League Division Two and, Central AC’s Andrew Butchart won the national cross country title for the second time with the senior men landing the team title.