No home comforts for Binos
STIRLING ALBION ............................................................... 1 QUEEN’S PARK .................................................................... 3
Stirling’s play-off hopes were dealt a blow as Queen’s Park came from behind to leapfrog the Binos in the Ladbrokes League 2 table.
In a game played in conditions that started out as difficult and developed into atrocious as the rain and wind swept across Forthbank, it was the visitors who came out on top with three goals in the last 18 minutes.
It felt harsh on Stirling but it’s now just one win in the last 13 meetings between the teams.
Dylan Bikey had given Albion a deserved lead in the first half but substitute Kieran Moore bagged a brace and recent signing Peter Grant was also on target as the Hampden side made it 13 points from a possible 15 since Ray McKinnon took over from Mark Roberts.
The former Falkirk manager admitted this game could have gone either way while Binos boss Kevin Rutkiewicz branded the defeat as sore as any in his time in charge and was deeply unhappy that referee Graham Beaton had waved away two strong penalty appeals.
This was a fourth successive home defeat in League 2 for Stirling and leaves them five points off the play-off pace after Elgin’s win against leaders Cove Rangers but they are going for a fifth straight away victory when they play Cowdenbeath at Central Park on Saturday.
Queen’s Park had won 1-0 here in the sunshine of the opening day before a 1-1 draw on a grim afternoon at Hampden in December. The Spiders have brought in a raft of new players since recently turning professional and half a dozen of them started.
Albion showed one change to the team that edged out Edinburgh City with Bikey replacing the injured Dylan Mackin and his performance was impressive. Josh Peters and Paul Willis both returned to the squad but Blair Currie, Cammy Binnie, Jordan Lowdon and Kevin Nicoll were all still sidelined.
There weren’t too many chances in the early part of the game but Stirling made the breakthrough in 25 minutes. David Wilson set up the winner for Jordan McGregor last week and it was another cross from the right that provided the opportunity for Bikey to beat Willie Muir with a superb header.
Stirling should have been further ahead by the break. There were big shouts for a penalty when Bikey went down in the box but there was nothing doing – the ball broke for Darryl Duffy but his shot nicked off a defender and past the post when he looked certain to score.
The wind picked up going into the second half and the rain began to lash down – Queen’s Park had the benefit of the elements behind them but Stirling were doing fine and Bikey had a shot blocked near the line.
With 20 minutes left, James Creaney’s drive struck the arm of Ryan Finnie for what looked a clear penalty but none was forthcoming and play raged to the other end. From the resulting corner, the ball broke to Moore and he prodded home from inside the six-yard box.
Ross MacLean, snapped up from Falkirk last month, missed from close range but Albion were on course for a decent point until they were undone by two horrible mistakes in the closing minutes.
Goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth has been nothing but excellent since his arrival on loan from Rangers but the 18 year-old spilled a 35-yarder from ex-Morton centrehalf Peter Grant and the ball slithered over the line to give Queen’s Park the lead.
In the third minute of added time, an error by Creaney allowed Moore to advance on goal from the left flank and he found the corner with a tidy, angled finish to seal the points.
Stirling Albion: Hogarth, McGeachie, Creaney, Banner, McLean, McGregor, Wilson, Docherty (Willis 86), Wright (Hughes 67), Bikey (Heaver 86), Duffy. Subs not used: Stott (GK), Jardine, Scott, Peters