Late goals in each half lay bogey to rest
Results
Saturday, October 2 cinch League 2
Elgin City 0-2 Stirling Albion
Lowland League
Vale of Leithen 3-6 Stirling University
Stirling and District AFA
Premier Division - Dunipace 7-3 Clackmannan CC; Barrhill A-A Condorrat.
First Division - Beechwood Albion 0-1 Riverside; Dollar Glen 1-6 Campsie
Caledonian League
Division - Stirling University 6-0 Rothesay Brandane.
Scottish Amateur Cup
First round - Edinburgh Harp 2-4 Fallin. Second round - AFC Kincardine 3-1 Dunblane Soccer Academy; Barca Milton 97 0-11 Doune Castle; Blackridge Vale of Clyde 3-5 Grangemouth; Edinburgh University 2-2 Falkirk Athletic (Edinburgh Univ won 3-2 on pens after extra time); Gala Hotspur 2-3 Linlithgow Rose CC; Greig Park Rangers 3-1 Westfield Colts; Langlee 3-1 Cambusbarron Rovers; Loganlea United 2-7 Alva; Pencaitland 3-9 Milton; Strathmiglo United 2-0 Callander Thistle; AFC Chryston A-A Tower Hearts; Braehead 4-1 West Kilbride; Uddingston 3-3 Kildrum United (Kildrum won 5-4 on pens).
Fixtures
Saturday, October 9
Lowland League
Stirling University v East Kilbride
Stirling and District AFA
League Cup Premier Section 1 :Braehead v Alva, Clackmannan v Condorrat. Premier Section 2 :Barrhill v Dunipace ,Falkirk Athletic LK P P AFC Chryston.
League Cup First Section 1: Grangemouth v Campsie. First Section 2: Cowie United v Linlithgow Rose CC.
First Division: Beechwood Albion v Kildrum United, Riverside v Dollar Glen
Caledonian League
First Division - Dunblane Soccer Academy v St Josephs; Holytown Colts v Stirling University; Rhu v Doune Castle; Westerlands v Cambusbarron Rovers.
Central Scottish AFL
Premier Division - Lesmahagow v Bannockburn; Stenhousemuir CC v Fallin.
Scottish Amateur Cup
Second round. AFC Chryston vTower Hearts
ELGIN CITY ................................................ 0 STIRLING ALBION ................................... 2
Stirling Albion completed the first quarter of their cinch League 2 campaign with a good win against an Elgin side who have caused them plenty problems in recent years.
It’s now five wins and a draw in the last six matches for Kevin Rutkiewicz’s side, who have no game this weekend but resume against Stranraer at Forthbank on Saturday, October 16.
This success at Borough Briggs keeps the Binos within four points of leaders Kelty Hearts, who they face at the end of the month, and moves them four points clear of Annan in second place. Elgin had won at Stenhousemuir last week but, having made the play-offs last season, have now slipped to seventh in the table.
Goals late in each half from left-back Martin McNiff and substitute Dale Carrick earned Albion their first victory over Elgin in seven attempts since a 2-1 triumph here in November 2019.
Stirling had to dig this one out on a grey and breezy day in the Highlands. Elgin enjoyed much of the play in the second half but Blair Currie made a crucial late save on the way to his fifth shut-out in nine matches – the best tally in the division.
The visitors were unchanged from the team that beat Cowdenbeath 4-0, with Paul McLean, Sean Heaver and Daniel Scally ruled out. City were missing striker Kane Hester – who has often troubled Albion in the past – and new loan signing Ross Draper from Cove Rangers was also absent.
Much of the first half was relatively tight but both sides had some decent opportunities. In 28 minutes, Dylan Mackin picked out Jack Leitch with a perfect cross and the midfielder caught it beautifully from around 12 yards but his fierce volley was superbly saved by Tom McHale.
Stirling probably had more of the ball in the first half - Leitch and Mackin lashed efforts wide but Gavin Price’s men almost broke the deadlock when Conor O’Keefe got clear and knocked the ball past Currie but midfielder Kurtis Roberts recovered to hook it off the line.
It was a big moment in the game and there was another one in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, caused by an injury to Jordan McGregor that saw him forced off at the break.
Nathan Flanagan’s inswinging corner from the right was a great delivery and McNiff got up at the far post to head home from six yards for his third goal of the season.
Elgin upped the tempo in the second half and on-loan Falkirk striker Jaime
Wilson almost equalised within 30 seconds of coming on as a substitute then midfielder Brian Cameron sent a shot just over after being picked out by right-back Euan Spark.
Stirling were defending deep and struggling to get up the park – they were indebted to Currie when he made a fine block to thwart Tony Dingwall with 15 minutes left as the home side continued to look the more likely to get the next goal.
But the Binos have developed a real winning mentality of late. They withstood the home pressure and sealed the game on the break with four minutes to go. Flanagan provided his second assist of the day with a neat pass to play in Carrick – his initial effort was well saved by McHale but the ball rebounded against the summer signing from Airdrie and looped into the net.
It was a moment to savour for the Stirling fans who had made the 160-mile journey north as their side finished the first phase of the season with a significant win.
Elgin City: McHale, Spark, MacPhee, McHardy, Grivosti, Mailer (Wilson 46), R Dingwall, Cameron, O’Keefe (Machado 72), MacEwan (Allen 90), T Dingwall (Sopel 85). Subs not used: Hoban (GK), Peters, Cooney, Lawrence, Little.
Stirling Albion: Currie, McGeachie, McNiff, Cummins, McGregor (Banner 46), Laird, Flanagan, Roberts, Mackin (Moore 81), Leitch (Carrick 69), Bikey (Omar 58). Subs not used: Law (GK), Grant,Watson.