Darryl doubles up in another away victory
ANNAN ATHLETIC ................... 2 STIRLING ALBION .................... 3
Stirling Albion made it three wins in a row, all away from home, to move to within a point of the play-offs in Ladbrokes League 2.
Top scorer Darryl Duffy grabbed a double to take his tally for the season to eight and midfielder Dom Docherty claimed his first goal of the campaign as the Binos cruised into a 3-0 lead inside an hour.
Jordan Holt quickly pulled one back for Peter Murphy’s men and Tommy Muir scored in stoppage time but the visitors held on for their first win at Galabank since the thrilling 5-3 success in the play-off semi-final en route to promotion in May 2014.
A top-four berth was the minimum ambition this season and it is within sight – Annan still occupy the final play-off spot but have now lost five of their last six games. Elgin, who visit Forthbank on Saturday, had the chance to clamber into the leading quartet but were beaten by Stenhousemuir.
Albion should have won on their previous visit to this venue 2003 and 2010, watching on. Hogarth junior had no chance with either goal and put in an assured display in the absence of injured pair Blair Currie and Cammy Binnie. Former Queen’s Park keeper Owen Stott was on the bench as a trialist.
Kevin Nicoll returned after a one-match ban in place of Danny Jardine but the former Clyde midfielder limped off in the 90th minute, by which time all three substitutes had been used.
On a chilly afternoon in the south of Scotland, Annan saw plenty of the ball in a fairly even first half that didn’t produce too many big chances. The breakthrough came for Albion in 21 minutes when Duffy found the net with a perfect lob over keeper Lyle Avci from the left side of the penalty area after Dylan Mackin had flicked on Hogarth’s clearance.
It was an accomplished finish from the 35 year-old striker, who took his haul of career goals to 199 early in the second half. Holt brought down Docherty inside the box and Duffy slotted the penalty low inside the left-hand post.
It got even better for Stirling three minutes later. Docherty has recently returned to the starting XI in a left midfield role and he thumped the ball past Avci after a perfect pass from Mackin provided the opportunity.
Mackin led the line well and was unlucky not to score – he headed in a corner which would have made it 4-0 but referee David Dickinson had spotted an infringement.
Annan had moved the ball nicely at times without working Hogarth too often but Holt pounced from three yards after Steven Swinglehurst nodded the ball back across goal. It looked merely a consolation but when top scorer Muir netted with a fine header in the first minute of added time it set up an uncomfortable few minutes for a Stirling side down to 10 men after the injury to Nicoll.
Thankfully there was no late drama as Albion made it four wins and a draw from their last five road trips – a remarkable turnaround considering they didn’t manage an away win until beating Elgin 2-1 at Borough Briggs on November 30.