Ea rly scares for Blue Toon but it ends with a convincing win
Peterhead made it through to the Division One Play-off Final against Stenhousemuir with a convincing victory at Balmoor Stadium.
Delighted Blue Toon manager Jim Mcinally said: “We were comfortable after the first 15 minutes, where we struggled against the wind.
“They started quickly and had us turning, but we settled and scored a great goal that took the pressure off us a bit.
“We played some good stuff in the second half and I was pleased with how we performed.
“We were also able to make some changes in the second half ahead of the trip to Stenhousemuir. We won down there earlier in the season and, although people will go on about our overall record against them, we are going into the game on the back of eight wins on the trot, so we are confident.”
Stirling manager Dave Mackay was philosophical in defeat, saying: “We started the game really well and carried on from how we finished the first leg, but the difference between the teams was Peterhead took their chances. “We had chances, but the players made the wrong decisions and that’s cost us. Defending is something we will need to address ahead of next season.”
Roared on by a vociferous travelling support, it was Stirling who broke forward in the second minute, with Ross Kavanagh earning a corner. Moments later, Darren Smith had a header saved by home keeper Greg Fleming.
Peterhead responded after eight minutes when some slackness in the visitors’ rearguard allowed Jack Leitch to gain possession, but his low shot from 18 yards failed to trouble Cameron Binnie.
On 19 minutes, Willie Gibson slipped the ball inside to Rory Mcallister, but his shot was bravely blocked. The same player then turned and shot at Binnie on the half-hour.
On 39 minutes, the deadlock was broken. A Gibson corner on the right ended with a glided header by Mason Robertson that went into the top left corner. The second half began with Peterhead on the offensive, earning early corner-kicks, but they could have let Albion back into the game after failing to clear and a Peter Macdonald shot was held by Fleming.
It was tie over in the 57th minute, though. Scott Brown could have shot from the edge of the area, but opted to slip the ball into the left side of the area to ace marksman Mcallister, who picked his spot.
The Blue Toon then turned on the style and scored a neat third after 65 minutes.
An Aidan Mcillduff free-kick on the right was blocked, but the ball was played back to him. His low cross was then delivered with pace from the byeline and was side-footed over the line from point-blank range by Jason Brown.
Substitute Alan Smith looked lively every time he was given the ball and was unlucky not to score on 76 minutes when he was denied by visiting custodian Binnie.