Binos history-makers in five-star showing
BRECHIN CITY ........................................... 0 STIRLING ALBION .................................... 5
Dunfermline defender Gregor Jordan sent off in first-half stoppage time.
The Binos’ previous away win in League 2 also came on this ground and this latest success propels them to second place in the table, unbeaten and tucked in two points behind leaders Queen’s Park.
It’s been a very encouraging start for Kevin Rutkiewicz’s men and they will welcome Elgin City to Forthbank for their next League 2 fixture on November 21 in confident mood. Before then are Betfred Cup ties against Montrose (last night) and Ross County in Dingwall this weekend.
Albion were unchanged from the team that beat Annan 1-0, with defender Paul Mclean still on the injury list, but one thing that was very different was the weather. It was a perfect autumn day in Angus in contrast to the storm that lashed the country a week earlier.
Brechin had confirmed 31-year-old Michael Paton as their new player/ manager on Friday, with veteran coach Gerry Mccabe his No 2. The pair had guided Brechin to a vital 2-0 win at Albion Rovers following the departure of Mark Wilson but this turned into something of a nightmare 90 minutes.
In fairness, there wasn’t much between the sides in the early exchanges and City missed a decent opening before Stirling took the lead in 20 minutes when Leitch completed a good passage of play by sending a sweet strike in off the righthand post from 18 yards.
Albion, who have kept three clean sheets in four matches, looked comfortable enough with a 1-0 advantage but doubled it before half-time. Jordan was perhaps unfortunate to be shown a red card for a tackle on Byrne and Wilson – just as he did against Stenhousemuir recently – found the bottom corner with the resulting free-kick, the ball coming off a City player on the way.
Until the weekend, Stirling’s biggest win here was 5-1 in April 1990, a thrilling match in a season when John Brogan’s side were ultimately pipped for promotion by Brechin and Kilmarnock, but they soon surpassed it thanks to a strong start to the second half.
Within minutes of the restart, Ryan headed in a Ross Mcgeachie cross then former Albion Rovers pair Scott Roberts and Byrne both scored their first goals for Stirling. Roberts had the freedom of the penalty area to fire low past Lewis Mcminn then Ryan teed up Byrne for an emphatic finish.
There was still a quarter of the match to play and you suspected more goals would follow. Substitute Dom Docherty came close but Brechin avoided further damage as Stirling earned their biggest victory since beating Albion Rovers 5-0 at Cliftonhill in January 2019.
All in all, a day to remember for the Binos… and President Elect Joseph R Biden, who was declared the winner at around the same time Stirling went 5-0 in front at Glebe Park.
Stirling Albion: Binnie, Mcgeachie (Magee 82), Banner, El-zubaidi (Thomson 82), Mcgregor, K Roberts, Ryan (Mackin 67), Wilson (Docherty 67), Byrne, Leitch (Heaver 65), S Roberts. Subs not used: Law (GK), Creaney, Moore.
Referee: Gavin Ross