Friday night fixture ends in stalemate
EDINBURGH CITY .................................... 2 STIRLING ALBION ................................... 2
Stirling Albion were forced to settle for a point in their Friday night fixture at Ainslie Park despite an impressive performance in the capital.
A win would have taken the Binos to the summit of the cinch League 2 table, albeit temporarily given Kelty Hearts’ victory at Albion Rovers on Saturday, but the spoils were shared.
Albion ended the weekend sitting third in the table and face Cowdenbeath at Forthbank on Saturday before ending the first quarter of the campaign at Elgin City on October 2.
This was an open and entertaining match that was lit up by a couple of spectacular goals but Stirling, who were ahead then behind, had more of the chances and probably should have secured what would have been a fourth successive triumph in League 2.
Goalkeeper Brian Schwake was also in fine form for Gary Naysmith’s men, who were hampered by the loss of Lee Hamilton and substitutes Lewis Toshney and Danny Jardine to hamstring injuries.
Kevin Rutkiewicz made one change to the team that beat Forfar Athletic with Dylan Bikey replacing the injured Daniel Scally for the trip to Ainslie Park, where his side won twice in season 2020/21.
The Binos went ahead with a wonderful goal after 13 minutes. Dale Carrick played the ball up to Dylan Mackin, who nodded it down for Jack Leitch and the midfielder didn’t have to break stride as he lashed a superb shot beyond Schwake from the edge of the area.
The on-loan Livingston goalkeeper had an excellent night. He made a terrific stop to deny Carrick and also thwarted Bikey before the break. In the second half he blocked a close-range Mackin header on the line but he had no chance with either goal.
City, who had won three of their last four games after a slow start to the campaign, were not without threat and Blair Currie did well to divert a James Hilton shot round the post.
The equaliser arrived five minutes before the interval after some sloppy defending allowed on-loan Hibs midfielder Innes Murray to take the ball round Currie. He looked to have been forced too wide but from a tight angle the 23-year-old thumped a stylish effort in off the bar.
City took the lead on the hour mark, which was harsh on the visitors although it was hard not to admire the finish from Hilton. The summer signing from Stranraer made space outside the box and launched a 20 yard rocket into the net.
Bikey then hit the crossbar and the very least Stirling merited here was a draw. They got it courtesy of a 69th-minute equaliser from Mackin, who grabbed his third goal of the season from a free-kick that went through the City wall and into the bottom corner of the net.
Bikey came close to a third goal when his shot slipped wide and Albion should have won it in stoppage time. Substitute Nathan Flanagan’s brilliant delivery from a free-kick from deep was met by Jordan McGregor but the centre-half couldn’t direct his header on target and it ended 2-2.
Edinburgh City: Schwake, Reekie, Hamilton (Toshney 28) (Jardine 46) (Kane 64), Bronsky, Tapping, See, Hilton, Brian, Murray, Robertson (Shanley 73), Crane. Subs not used: Goodfellow (GK), McFarlane.
Stirling Albion: Currie, McGeachie, McNiff, Cummins, McGregor, Grant, Carrick (Flanagan 65), Roberts, Mackin, Leitch, Bikey. Subs not used: Law (GK), Banner, Watson, Heaver, Laird, Omar, Moore.
DAVID OGILVIE