Momentum builds after Albion avoid defeat again
Docherty stunner earns away point
Annan Athletic ........ 2 Stirling Albion ......... 2 Stirling Albion made it three games without defeat – their best run since March – by claiming a point at Galabank on Saturday.
Albion were not at their best but twice came from behind thanks to a smart finish from Dylan Mackin and a stunning 79th-minute volley from Dominic Docherty.
Annan might feel they deserved all three points, and would have got them had it not been for a terrific save by Cammy Binnie right at the end, but Stirling were certainly not lacking in spirit as they followed up the win over Berwick and the draw at Clyde with another positive result.
It’s now seven games without a win at Galabank since the thrilling 5-3 victory in the second leg of the play-off semifinal in May 2014, but this was a fixture Stirling would probably have lost not so long ago and was a big improvement on their last visit – a 3-1 defeat in April.
The sun was shining that afternoon and it was another glorious day in the south of Scotland as Kevin Rutkiewicz returned to the club where he was assistant manager before taking over the reins at Forthbank last month.
He named an unchanged team to the one that drew 1-1 with Clyde but at half-time midfielder Darren Barr and right-back Evan Horne were replaced by on-loan Hamilton Accies man Ronan Hughes and Kyle Banner. On-loan Dundee keeper Calum Ferrie, defender Lee Hamilton and striker Mark Stewart were again sidelined, while Kevin Moon returned to the bench at the expense of Reg McLaren. Michael McIndoe featured for the third and final time as a trialist.
Annan came into the game fourth in the Ladbrokes League 2 table despite losing 2-0 at home to Cowdenbeath in their previous game. Peter Murphy’s men have done better on their travels this season and were 2-1 winners at Forthbank in September.
Stirling missed a good early chance in a fast-paced start but as the match settled down it was Annan who looked more of a threat. Binnie made a fine save to push away a David Wilson drive from the edge of the box but had no chance when the hosts forged in front after 20 minutes. Winger Chris Johnston’s trickery won a free-kick on the right and when he floated the ball into the box, Tony Wallace got across Horne to send a header into the net from six yards.
Albion toiled to get back into things before the break and it was no surprise to see Rutkiewicz opt to freshen up his side at the interval. The visitors were brighter almost immediately but even then it took a crucial save from Binnie to keep the score at 1-0 before the equaliser arrived in 55 minutes.
The ball was returned to the penalty box by Banner, Docherty coolly laid it off, and former Falkirk striker Mackin sent a crisp, low shot away from keeper Alex Mitchell and into the corner from 12 yards for his second goal in a red shirt.
You wondered if that goal might propel the visitors towards three points, but it was the home side who scored again with 17 minutes left when Ryan Sinnamon was allowed to come in off the right touchline with too much ease to drill a shot into the far corner from 15 yards. It was a good hit but the best strike of the game was still to come.
With 11 minutes remaining, the ball dropped to Docherty 20 yards out and the summer signing from Queen’s Park smacked a sumptuous right-foot volley into the top corner to the delight of the travelling fans behind that goal. That was Docherty’s third of the season and makes him joint-top scorer with Peter MacDonald.
Annan survived something of a stramash in the penalty area as Stirling sought a third, but Murphy’s men were denied a stoppage-time winner when Binnie did brilliantly to claw away a header from substitute Ross Fergusson following a corner.
Berwick’s 2-0 win over bottom club Albion Rovers saw Stirling slip to ninth in the table but they will go into their next match against Elgin City at Forthbank on December 1 with confidence building and five points in the bag following an unbeaten three-game stretch. Stirling Albion: Binnie, McGeachie, Allan, Barr (Hughes 46), Horne (Banner 46), Marr, Jardine, Docherty, McIndoe (Smith 77), McLaughlin, Mackin. Subs (not used): Law (GK), Thomson, Moon, MacDonald.