Binos take on Bairns in Betfred opener
Stan Wawrinka stands in way of second French Open final
Stirling Albion will begin the new season with a Betfred Cup tie away to Falkirk on Saturday, July 15.
The SPFL this week released the full fixture list for the group stage and the Binos have been handed the reverse of the opening game of 2016/17, when they shocked Peter Houston’s men with a 1-0 win at Forthbank thanks to a goal from Darren Smith.
It will be Albion’s first visit to the Falkirk Stadium since July 2012 when they were beaten 3-0 in a Challenge Cup tie and they haven’t won away to the Bairns in a competitive game since 1974/75.
Dave Mackay’s men host Group A top seeds Inverness Caley Thistle on Tuesday July 18 before travelling to Forfar on Saturday July 22 and finishing off at home to Brechin City on July 25.
Mackay may opt to slot in a friendly match on Saturday, July 29 — the final day of the Betfred sectional games — ahead of the Ladbrokes League Two opener a week later, the fixtures for which will be unveiled on June 23.
The SPFL also confirmed this week that the draw for the first round of the IRN-BRU Cup will be made on Tuesday, June 27
Andy Murray is now only one match away from a second consecutive French Open final.
Today he faces Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka in the semi-final, with the winner due to meet either Austrian Dominic Thiem or nine-times winner Rafael Nadal in Sunday’s final.
On Wednesday, he came back from a set down in his quarter-final against Japan’s Kei Nishikori to win 2-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-1 to set up a rematch of a their 2016 semi, which Murray won in four sets.
The world No 1 leads 10-7 in head-to head against the Swiss star, winning the only two games they played against each other in 2016 — the French semi-final and at the ATP Finals in London in November.
He said after his win over Nishikori: “When we played last year, it was similar situation coming in. I think Stan had played really well coming into the match. I had struggled in some of my matches during the event last year, but I played one and the competition will this season include two clubs from the Republic of Ireland — Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers — as well as Linfield and Crusaders from Northern Ireland and Welsh champions the New Saints and runners-up Connah’s Quay.
Stirling return to pre-season training on Saturday, June 24 and face Motherwell in a Forthbank friendly a week later, with a friendly away to Alloa also to be confirmed.
Mackay still expects former Rangers and Preston striker Andy Little to put pen to paper on a new contract and is closing in on his first new signing of the summer. of my best clay-court matches that day to get the win. I need to do the same again.”
Two weeks ago, it seemed unlikely that Murray would be still be in the tournament having had an indifferent 2016 but five wins at Roland Garros — including victories over Juan Martin del Potro, Karen Khachanov and Nishikori — has put a new spring in his step.
“As you get through the matches, you gain in confidence,” said Murray. “Anyone can win matches when they are playing well. It’s winning when you’re not playing your best that is more impressive.
“If someone had offered me a semifinal spot before the tournament, I would have signed up for that because I was not playing well at all. And practice also was not good.”
The match against Wawrinka will be the sixth time the two have met in Grand Slam matches. As well as last year’s French semi-final, Murray has defeated his Swiss opponent at the US Open in 2008 and at Wimbledon in 2009, while Wawrinka prevailed in the US Open in 2010 and 2013.
Meanwhile, midfielder Connor McMullan has become the latest graduate from the Stirling Albion youth academy to sign professional terms with the club.
The club office at Forthbank will be open from 5-7pm tonight (Friday) and from 10am-noon tomorrow (Saturday) for the sale of season tickets.
Everyone buying their season ticket by the weekend will be entered into a prize draw, with the lucky winner receiving a 50 per cent refund of their purchase price. Three others drawn from the ‘early bird’ period will receive an SAFC scarf.