Albion stun in the sun at Clyde
Late comeback makes it six wins out of last six
Clyde ..................... 2 Stirling Albion ...... 3 Stirling’s remarkable winning run continued at a sun-kissed Broadwood on Saturday.
The Binos made it six victories on the trot for the first time since 2006/07, as Dave Mackay’s men twice came from behind and are now within five points of the play-offs, with a trip to fourth-placed Elgin City still to come on April 22.
Making the cut remains a long shot but this was another afternoon to savour for Stirling and the big travelling support who made the short journey to Cumbernauld.
It was here, at the end of January, that Albion put in one of their poorest performances of the season when they lost a Scottish Cup replay and it’s a venue that has provided little to cheer in recent times.
Darren Smith grabbed a double to take his tally for the season to 10 goals – including four in the last three games – and Ross Kavanagh was also on target as Stirling recovered from a very poor first-half performance to leave Clyde just four points above bottom club Cowdenbeath.
Albion’s next game is at home to leaders Forfar, whose recent form has been poor, and they will bid to equal the seven-game winning streak set by Allan Moore’s side – which included future Scotland internationalist Robert Snodgrass – in the spring of 2007.
Binos boss Dave Mackay made three changes to the team that beat Annan 1-0 the previous week.
Central defender Frazer Wright came in for the injured Ross Smith while full-back Liam Caddis and striker Blair Henderson replaced winger Josh Jeffries and midfielder Connor McMullan.
Former Rangers striker Andy Little returned to the squad after injury and came on as a substitute during the second half but midfield trio Willie Robertson, Jack McCue and Calvin Colquhoun were again ruled out, as was skipper Ross McMillan.
Clyde included ex-Binos Phil Johnston and Chris Smith and interim co-manager Jon Paul McGovern was among the subs. The Bully Wee fielded 36-year- old former Aberdeen, St Johnstone and East Fife defender Kevin Rutkiewicz as a trialist.
Stirling were very flat in a poor first half and chances were at a premium at both ends in the early stages but Clyde looked the better team and went in front after 25 minutes.
Darren Smith tried to shepherd the ball out of play but was caught out and that allowed Martin McNiff to hook the ball back for Peter MacDonald to steer a precise volley into the bottom left-hand corner for his 22nd goal of the season in all competitions.
The 36-year- old summer signing from Morton bagged a double when the sides met at Forthbank in the Scottish Cup and he should probably have scored again after being set up by David Gormley but he pulled his shot wide of target.
Stirling were toiling to create anything of note and it was almost half-time before they threatened, with Kavanagh sending a 20-yarder just past the post.
Albion were much improved after the interval and were soon level. Sean Dickson, who has been a key player during this recent run, picked out Smith with a perfect though ball and the ex-Motherwell man prodded the ball beyond the advancing John Gibson.
You now fancied Stirling to go on and win, and ultimately they did, but there was a twist first. Scott McLaughlin swung a free-kick into the box and Henderson barged over MacDonald, allowing
Gormley – a hat-trick hero in the Scottish Cup replay – to smash the penalty high into the net. Albion’s winning run was on the line but, as so often of late, they came up with the goods when it mattered. Kavanagh rifled home the equaliser 12 minutes from the end, after a header had been cleared off the line following a corner, for his fourth goal of the season and the winner quickly followed.
Dickson provided his second assist of the day with a terrific ball into the box and Smith looped a header up and over Smith as Stirling retained their crown as best team in the entire SPFL based on current form, something no-one would have predicted just a few weeks ago.