Good point made by Binos in Angus
Strong work ethic displayed by Mackay’s men
Arbroath ............... 1 Stirling Albion ...... 1
Stirling Albion claimed an important point at Gayfield in their battle for SPFL survival – a result which both managers felt was a fair outcome.
The draw edges Stirling five points clear of bottom club Cowdenbeath, who have two games in hand, while the Red Lichties trimmed the gap on leaders Forfar to eight points.
Arbroath had more of the chances and had a good penalty shout turned down but the Binos produced a determined performance and had chances to win it towards the end.
Darren Smith’s sixth goal of the season gave Dave Mackay’s men the lead but Steven Doris – one of five former Albion players to feature for the hosts – quickly equalised.
Stirling had lost 5-3 here in a crazy game at the end of August and headed north on the back of a 2-2 home draw with Berwick Rangers while Arbroath, in great recent form on their travels, had lost their last two games at Gayfield to Forfar and Annan.
The visitors were without injured captain Ross McMillan but Calvin Colquhoun returned after a ban and there were places on the bench for new signing Andy Little and trialist Andrew Johnstone, as well as Ross Kavanagh who was back after a lengthy spell out.
Little was pitched into the fray after just half an hour following an injury to Jack McCue and took time to adapt to the pace of the game, having not played since January 2016 when he was on loan to Blackpool from Preston, but was more involved in the second half and should be an asset.
Ex-Ayr winger Andrew Johnstone also looked lively when he came on but most pleasing for Mackay was that his side showed a good work ethic and commitment throughout. They might have given up a few too many chances but it was a vast improvement on recent displays.
Bobby Linn had an early effort saved by Chris Smith but Stirling did well in a first half hour short on chances before Arbroath gained control towards halftime and were unfortunate not to score.
Bryan Prunty had an effort deflected on to the crossbar, there were two other shots scrambled off the line and Linn’s 20 yarder skimmed the top of the bar. At the other end, Connor McLaren tested Ricky Gomes, who was then fortunate to escape when he dropped a cross. The breakthrough came in 58 minutes when McLaren made a strong run down the left and fed Darren Smith on the other flank. It may have been a moment of genius from the ex-Motherwell man when he floated the ball beyond the keeper and in off the far post but it was probably a cross!
Stirling have been unable to hold on to leads too often and it didn’t take long for the promotion hopefuls to equalise. Omar Kader slipped the ball through to Doris, who got beyond Ross Smith and knocked the ball past the advancing Chris Smith.
It could have gone either way after that in a frantic finish. Arbroath sub Eddie Ferns was denied by Smith when clean through and big penalty appeals were waved away when Conor Quigley dived in for the rebound and video evidence suggests he might have played Kader rather than ball.
That was a let-off and there was another deep into stoppage time when Doris latched on to a long throw and should have scored but instead fired weakly at Smith.
Just before that, Darren Smith headed wide at the back post and Little fired narrowly off target as it finished all square in increasingly blustery conditions on the North Sea coast.
Arbroath: Gomes, Gold (Smyth 46), Hodge, Little, Hamilton, Whatley, Kader, McCord, Doris, Prunty (Ferns 66), Linn (Skelly 68). Subs not used: Sukar, Malin, McCallum, Gill (GK).
Stirling Albion: C Smith, McGeachie, Quigley, Wright, R Smith, McCue (Little 31), Colquhoun, Dickson, McLaren (Johnstone 68), D Smith, Henderson (Kavanagh 79). Subs not used: Black, Petrie, Caddis, Binnie (GK).
Referee: Ryan Milne