BINOS LIVING THE HIGH LIFE Rutkiewicz’s men move up to second
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Stirling Albion claimed their biggest home win for more than four years on Saturday when they saw off Cowdenbeath 4-0 to go second in cinch League Two.
It was the most emphatic success at Forthbank since a 4-0 thrashing of Berwick Rangers in August 2017, helped by a Darren Smith double, when Dave Mackay was manager.
The team topped the table in the autumn before their form fell away and they lost to Peterhead in the playoffs.
Jack Leitch, top scorer Dylan Mackin, Dale Carrick and Sean Heaver with his first goal of the season, were all on target against Gary Bollan’s men as Stirling moved above Annan and remained in touch with leaders Kelty Hearts, who they face at New Central Park at the end of next month. Saturday marked a third straight home league win for Kevin Rutkiewicz’s team, who also beat Peterhead at Forthbank in the Premier Sports Cup. It’s a big improvement from last season when they managed only four home wins out of 11 in the truncated League Two programme – all of them by 1-0 margins.
The 4-0 defeat of Cowdenbeath was the biggest home win in Rutkiewicz’s three-year reign, eclipsing a 5-2 victory over Elgin City in December 2018. Albion have scored five goals away from home on three
occasions since then – at Albion Rovers, Brechin City and Cowdenbeath.
Stirling complete the first quarter of this campaign with a trip to Borough Briggs to face Elgin City on Saturday then have the following weekend off before resuming at home to Stranraer on October 16.
Albion have a poor recent record against Gavin Price’s men, losing 3-1 on their last visit on a Thursday night in April and failing to win any of the last six encounters home or away.
City have made a slow start to 2021/22 but picked up an important win at Stenhousemuir on Saturday while Stirling will be looking to continue the fine form that has seen them pick up 13 points from the last 15 available since backto-back defeats to Kelty and Annan.
Rutkiewicz was delighted with the result against Cowdenbeath as his side got back to winning ways after being unlucky only to draw 2-2 at promotion rivals Edinburgh City the previous week.
He said: “We got off to a good start and were the better team in the first half without dominating, but the boys had to dig in during the second half because Cowdenbeath put us under a considerable amount of pressure.
“I don’t want to take anything away from my team but 4-0 maybe flatters us a bit with the two goals on the break at the end.”