Josh comes off the bench to net winner
Binos win on the road for first time since March
ELGIN CITY ................................ 1 STIRLING ALBION ................... 2
Josh Peters marked his return from injury with a stoppage-time winner as Albion ended their ninemonth wait for an away league win in dramatic fashion.
Dylan Bikey’s first goal of his third spell at the club had Stirling deservedly in front at the break but defender Stephen Bronsky equalised with 17 minutes left.
Both sides pushed for the winner and it was the Binos who got it right at the end when Peters turned in a Sean Heaver shot for his fifth goal of the season.
Kevin Rutkiewicz’s team hadn’t managed a league victory on their travels since beating Cowdenbeath 2-1 at Central Park on March 2 but this result keeps them within five points of the play-offs and moved them level with Elgin, who had a game in hand at Stenhousemuir last night (Tuesday).
Borough Briggs had escaped the severe frost that affected much of the country and the pitch covers weren’t required but it was still a bitterly cold afternoon in the Highlands.
Rutkiewicz’s men were beaten here in the Betfred Cup in July, and also on their last League 2 visit in February when City edged a thriller 3-2, but Stirling have now lost just one of their last nine league matches after a disastrous start to the season.
Albion were again without the suspended Darryl Duffy, while James Creaney and Kevin Nicoll joined Jordan Lowdon and Gareth Rodger on the sidelines. Peters, who hit a hat-trick in a midweek friendly against Jeanfield Swifts, made the squad for the first time since picking up an injury against Elgin on September 14.
The Binos won 1-0 that day and enjoyed another victory over Gavin Price’s side, who had lost to Alloa in the Scottish
Cup the previous week but had been in good form in League 2.
Stirling were much the better team in the first half. Jordan McGregor made a vital block to deny Kane Hester but the hosts were generally flat, were slack in possession, and didn’t carry much threat. Albion had plenty of the ball and made it count just after the half-hour mark.
A quick free-kick from Paul Willis allowed Heaver to drive the ball across goal and it fell for Bikey at the far post, allowing the fans’ favourite a simple finish from a matter of yards.
Elgin came to life after halftime and almost equalised when 20-goal Shane Sutherland waltzed through the defence and sent a low shot towards the corner but Blair Currie pulled off a fine save.
Stirling have the best defensive record in the division but Elgin don’t fail to score in many matches and levelled when Bronsky looped in a header from a Russell Dingwall free-kick. There was almost worse to come two minutes later but skipper Brian Cameron sent his effort against the post.
It was sometimes scrappy and often frantic in the second half but it was always a compelling watch and it felt like there was another goal in it. Thrillingly for the travelling supporters, it came for Stirling deep into stoppage time.
Heaver sent a shot towards Thomas McHale and Peters popped up to prod it past the keeper, sparking some wild celebrations among players and fans alike.
Elgin City: McHale, Cooper, Spark, McDonald, Bronsky, Dingwall, MacEwan (Omar 63), Cameron, Hester (Aitken 82), Sutherland, O’Keefe (MacKay 57). Subs not used: Loveland, Wilson, Sopel, Hoban (GK).
Stirling Albion: Currie, McGeachie,Thomson,Wilson, McLean, McGregor, Jardine, Bikey (Banner 57), Heaver, Mackin (Peters 83), Willis (Docherty 74). Subs not used: Truesdale, Scott, Wright, Binnie (GK).