Elgin City bogey still hanging over Binos
STIRLING ALBION 0- 2 ELGIN CITY 2
Stirling Albion lost to Elgin City for the third time this season as the visitors secured their SPFL status and moved to within a point of the seventh-placed Binos.
How City must love their visits to Forthbank - this was their fourth successive victory here and they have now won eight of the last 10 meetings between the teams home or away.
Second-half goals from Rory Macewan and Matthew Cooper gave ex-bino Gavin Price’s men all three points in a game short on quality and chances, not helped by a fiery pitch.
Elgin might enjoy their games at Forthbank but the home fans have had little to cheer this season and have now witnessed home 10 league losses - the worst record of any SPFL club.
Albion went into the match on a threegame unbeaten run, including a 1-1 draw at leaders Kelty Hearts the previous week, but they have now scored only two goals in six matches.
Manager Darren Young was without Dale Carrick and Jack Leitch so Akeel Francis and Nathan Flanagan came into the starting line-up. Top scorer Dylan Mackin was back after a three-game ban and defender Paul Mclean made a welcome return to the squad after missing almost the entire season due to injury.
The first half was virtually devoid of incident as both teams gave the ball away on a regular basis. Blair Currie had almost nothing to do while Elgin keeper Daniel Hoban’s smart save from a Kieran Moore 25-yarder was about all that kept him busy.
Both bosses made changes at the break - Macewan replaced Angus Mailer for City and Mackin came on for Francis, who hadn’t made an impact and it was former
Stirling University midfielder Macewan who broke the deadlock in 52 minutes.
The home defence only partially cleared Cooper’s long throw, allowing the full-back to return the ball to the box from the right-hand side. Russell Dingwall’s shot was blocked and the ball sat up perfectly for Macewan, who lashed a first-time shot past Currie.
Albion had a decent penalty shout waved away when captain Ross Mcgeachie appeared to be fouled and Adam Cummins had a back-post header from a Ray Grant free-kick turned round the post by Hoban before Elgin made the game safe with a second goal in 78 minutes.
Dingwall’s free-kick from the right was met by Ross Draper, who nodded the ball down for Brian Cameron some six yards out. The midfielder didn’t connect properly and Cummins was able to scramble the ball away, although it might have crossed the line before Cooper followed up to make sure and claim the credit.
Substitute Kurtis Roberts came close to getting one back but his effort, with the keeper stranded, sailed over the bar. Elgin top scorer Kane Hester - who nearly always finds the net against the Binos - fired wide from close range when he should have scored but it was already all over.
Stirling face Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill this weekend then host Edinburgh City on the final day but the end of the season can’t come quick enough after a desperately disappointing campaign.
Stirling Albion: Currie, Mcgeachie, Hancock, Cummins, Mcniff, Banner, Dunsmore, Laird (R Grant 72), Francis (Mackin 46), Flanagan (Roberts 72), Moore. Subs not used: Law (GK), Paterson, J Grant, Mcgregor, Mclean.
Elgin City: Hoban, Cooper, Towler, O’connor, Draper, Mailer (Macewan 46), Dingwall, Cameron, Omar, Hester (Peters 87), Sopel (Machado 90). Subs not used: Mchale (GK), O’keefe, Mackay.