Scottish Cup 3rd Round
STIRLING ALBION ................................... 4 TRANENT JUNIORS ................................. 0
Stirling progressed to the last 32 of the Scottish Cup for the first time in five years with a comprehensive win over their East of Scotland League opponents.
Tranent had their moments and came close to scoring on a few occasions but Albion were clinical and ended a run of three straight defeats by safely negotiating what had looked like a hazardous tie.
Binos boss Kevin Rutkiewicz had predicted there would be third round upsets and will be relieved that his side were not among the casualties on a weekend when Hamilton Accies lost to Auchinleck Talbot, Clydebank knocked out Clyde and Banks O’ Dee ousted East Fife.
Top scorer Dylan Mackin bagged a double, with Jack Leitch and Jordan McGregor also on target in the first Scottish Cup tie in front of fans at Forthbank since a 2-0 defeat to Clyde two years ago.
Stirling went into this one without the injured Paul McLean and Martin McNiff and Dylan Bikey was also sidelined so Mackin returned to the starting line-up. There was further disruption shortly before kick-off when Nathan Flanagan replaced Dale Carrick, who was feeling unwell.
Tranent also had to make a late change to their starting XI, with goalkeeper Dean Beveridge taking over from Kevin Swain, who had picked up an injury.
Calum Elliot’s side had won away to title rivals Penicuik Athletic and Lowland League side Broomhill to reach this stage and started confidently on a bright but bitterly cold afternoon. Skipper Shaun
Rutherford fizzed a 20-yard free kick just wide of the right-hand post. The same player was inches away with a curling effort on the brink of half-time but by then Stirling were two goals to the good.
Mackin broke the deadlock after 20 minutes when he headed home a perfect cross from the impressive Sean Heaver, who did well on the left flank to create the opening. Leitch thumped in his fourth goal of the season 10 minutes later, neatly taking the ball away from a defender after Mackin had nodded it into his path.
In a frantic start to the second half there were chances at both ends. Leitch had a header saved then Tranent substitute Matthew Knox – a former Livingston midfielder – sent a shot narrowly wide and the ball was cleared off the line from the corner that followed.
A goal for the visitors would have set up a nervy conclusion but the Binos put the tie beyond doubt shortly after the hour mark. Leitch was brought down in the box by Ben Miller and Mackin made no mistake from the spot for his seventh goal of the campaign, going straight down the middle.
Heaver missed a good opportunity to get on the scoresheet before Stirling got their fourth goal in the closing stages. McGregor, who grabbed a last-minute winner at Berwick in round two, stabbed a shot high into the net from six yards when the ball broke to him following a corner.
It was job done and next up for Stirling is an away-day double header in cinch League 2, with trips to Cowdenbeath and Forfar before they return to Forthbank to play Annan Athletic on December 18.
Stirling Albion – Currie, McGeachie, Banner, Laird (Roberts 78), McGregor, Grant, Heaver, Leitch (Scally 68), Moore (Cummins 59), Flanagan, Mackin. Subs (not used): Law (GK), Watson, Creaney.
Tranent Juniors – Beveridge, Stevenson, Rutherford, Mitchell, Miller, Thomson (Knox 46), Wringe, Murphy, Docherty (Somerville 81), Anderson (Greig 70), Donaldson. Sub (not used): Reid.
Referee: Lloyd Wilson