Binos back to winning ways
Albion open up gap after victory on the road
Montrose .............. 1 Stirling Albion ...... 3 Stirling Albion moved four points clear at the top of Ladbrokes League 2 after ending Montrose’s unbeaten start to the season.
The Gable Endies had only conceded three goals in five games until Saturday, when a Callumn Morrison double and a Sean Dickson header earned the Binos a deserved victory at Links Park.
Albion certainly seem to enjoy their visits to this corner of the North Sea coast – they are now unbeaten in eight visits since losing 3-2 in December 2012.
It was also revenge for a 3-1 Forthbank defeat in the first round of the IRN-BRU Cup last month. Both teams made several changes that night but the visitors were worthy winners.
This was a third successive away league win for Dave Mackay’s men – having also overcome fellow top-four sides Stenhousemuir and Peterhead, netting 10 goals in the process. The previous week’s 3-2 home defeat to Clyde shattered Stirling’s 100 per cent start but this was the perfect response and a terrific all-round team performance.
There wasn’t much in it in the first half but Albion led through Morrison in 13-minutes and substitute Dickson struck within 60-seconds of the restart.
That looked to have put the game beyond Stewart Petrie’s team but they
pulled one back in the last minute, only for Morrison to race clear for the clincher when keeper Allan Fleming had been pushed forward for a stoppage-time corner as the hosts sought an equaliser.
Binos boss Mackay made one change from the previous week. Skipper Willie Robertson replaced Ross Kavanagh who was unfortunate to miss out.
The scoring opened when Liam Caddis floated a free-kick into the box and Morrison thumped a deflected shot into the net.
Templeman had earlier nodded just over and only a superb tackle from Caddis denied him as the interval approached. Cammy Binnie also had to make a smart save and Iain Campbell sent a free-kick about six inches over the crossbar.
Stirling had opportunities to extend their lead but Ross Smith saw his header saved and Fleming reacted well to push out a drive from Robertson.
It was a game in the balance at the interval but the visitors struck almost immediately after half-time. Rightback Ewan McNeil sent over a perfect cross from the right and Dickson, back after more than a month out with a hip injury, crashed a back-post header into the net.
But home substitute Ryan Ferguson caused some anxious moments when he halved the deficit in 90-minutes, hooking the ball into the net from close range.
Goalkeeper Fleming went up as Petrie’s side forced a corner in stoppage time but Albion managed to clear the ball and Morrison was able to run half the length of the pitch and score his seventh goal of the season.
Stirling now have home matches against Annan Athletic and Elgin City before ending the first quarter of the campaign at Cowdenbeath.