Unbeaten run ended by Clyde
Bully Wee seal the points with Cuddihy winner
Stirling Albion ...... 2 Clyde ..................... 3 Stirling’s perfect start to the season was halted on Saturday as Clyde earned a deserved victory at Forthbank.
Dave Mackay’s men remain top of the Ladbrokes League 2 table, a point clear of Montrose who they face at Links Park this weekend, but it was a disappointing performance on a day the only two 100 per cent records in the SPFL were ended - Aberdeen drawing 0-0 with Hearts at Murrayfield.
The Bully Wee arrived with only four points from four games but they looked a much better side than that and Stirling’s defence couldn’t cope with David Goodwillie with the former Dundee United, Aberdeen and Scotland forward easily the best player on the pitch.
Peter MacDonald gave the Binos an early lead but Goodwillie equalised as half-time approached and Mark Burbidge fired Clyde ahead just after the break.
On-loan Hearts winger Callumn Morrison hauled Stirling level on the hour mark but they never enjoyed any sustained period of control and it was hard to grudge the Broadwood side their 79th-minute winner from Barry Cuddihy, although Liam Caddis appeared to be fouled in the build-up.
Binos boss Dave Mackay named the same starting XI that won 4-2 at title favourites Peterhead in their last outing a fortnight earlier while Clyde featured several of the Annan side that moved
with manager Jim Chapman during the summer.
This was a ground where he enjoyed little cheer with the Galabankies but he was celebrating an important win come full-time with his new club.
On-loan Forfar centre-half Andy Munro had already threatened for Clyde before Albion broke the deadlock in 12 minutes. Darren Smith’s pace took him beyond Munro and he cut the ball back for MacDonald to score with a close-range header against his former club.
It was his first league goal for Stirling but the hosts were unable to press home that early advantage and the visitors had the ball in the net following a corner, only for it to be disallowed for a foul on Cammy Binnie.
The equaliser arrived three minutes shy of half-time when a long ball released Goodwillie down the left flank and he ran on to beat Binnie with a cool finish low into the corner.
Clyde have scored and conceded in every match this season and it was easy to see why at times.
Darren Smith was inches away from restoring Albion’s advantage with a curling effort from the edge of the box then Morrison’s powerful shot was parried by Blair Currie.
Stirling were back out early for the second half but within a couple of minutes of the restart were guilty of some shoddy defending which allowed former Clydebank midfielder Burbidge to sneak a shot just inside the post despite the best efforts of Binnie.
The game was always open and the Binos got back on terms on the hour mark. Willie Robertson, just on as a substitute for Andy Black, did well on the right wing and his delivery was nodded in by Morrison for his fifth goal of the season.
Robertson later fizzed a 30-yarder just past the top corner and MacDonald headed wide but in general Clyde were the better team and had more of the opportunities.
Binnie made a smart save to thwart Cuddihy and Goodwillie had a shot blocked after a brilliant run into the box before hitting the outside of the post in the closing stages.
The decisive goal came in 79 minutes when Goodwillie released Cuddihy through the middle and the ex-St Mirren midfielder made no mistake with an emphatic finish beyond the advancing Binnie as Clyde picked up their first away points of the season after defeats at Berwick and Elgin.