DERBY WIN COULD BE TURNING POINT
Struggling Stirling want to beat Stenny
Stirling Albion play their final game of the decade tomorrow when they make the short journey to Ochilview to face Stenhousemuir.
With just a point between the teams in the lower reaches of the League 2 table, it is a big game for both clubs.
Stirling have managed just one away league win this season and lost 1-0 at home to second-placed Edinburgh City last weekend while the Warriors went down 3-1 at Cowdenbeath.
It finished 1-1 when the teams met at Forthbank, Sean Heaver scoring a deserved late equaliser for the Binos, and this weekend marks the halfway stage in the campaign. Kevin Rutkiewicz’s side are seven points outside the promotion play-offs and just four in front of bottom club Brechin City.
Albion’s last visit to Ochilview was a 2-1 defeat on January 2, 2018, and they are badly in need of a positive result tomorrow against a Stenny side who have lost their last three matches.
Left-back James Creaney is available again after suspension but goalkeeper Blair Currie has been ruled out for several weeks at least so Cammy Binnie will again be between the posts.
The 22-year-old was handed his first league start in 12 months against Edinburgh City but has plenty of firstteam experience since making his debut against Forfar Athletic in 2015.
He said: “It was very hard to take losing a goal so late against Edinburgh City last week. They got a break of the ball in the box and the shot has come through two players. A yard either way and it’s hitting them or I make the save.
“It has been frustrating not playing. This is not the way I wanted it to happen and it’s not nice for Blair but it’s how football is and I need to take my chance. I haven’t played too much recently but I’ve had a lot of games over the previous couple of years.
“I wasn’t worried coming on against Queen’s Park when Blair got injured because I have been training all the time. You just maybe lack that bit of game sharpness and there probably is more pressure than on the outfield players.
“Stenhousemuir is a big game and we need the three points. There’s no doubt we should be much higher up the table. If we take our chances it will be completely different.”
Stirling’s first match of the 2010s was a Scottish Cup tie at Albion Rovers during the freezing winter of 2009/10, which ended 0-0 before Allan Moore’s men won the replay 3-1 at Forthbank two days later.
The Binos won the Second Division title that year but it has generally been a tough decade for the club, who have finished seventh, sixth, third and fifth in League 2 in the last four seasons.
It has been another disappointing campaign so far and one that is reaching a pivotal stage but away wins against Stenhousemuir tomorrow and Albion Rovers next week would be a timely boost.