Leaving it late
Sean hits stunning leveller
Stirling Albion ................ 2 Arbroath ......................... 2 Sean Dickson scored twice in the closing minutes as Stirling staged a sensational comeback in Dave Mackay’s first home game as manager.
The Binos grabbed a last-gasp winner at Elgin the previous week and it was the late, late show again at Forthbank against 10-man Arbroath.
Dick Campbell’s men looked on course for victory thanks to goals from Steven Doris and Omar Kader, either side of a 51st-minute red card for defender Ricky Little, but Albion never gave up and missed several chances before Dickson saved the day.
The former East Fife player reduced the deficit 30 seconds from the end with a low drive from the edge of the area then beat keeper Ricky Gomes with a simply stunning volley from 25 yards that dipped under the bar after a long throw-in had been headed into his path.
Stirling beat Arbroath twice at Forthbank last season, coming from behind to win 3-1 in November then claiming a 1-0 victory in March thanks to a late Craig Beattie goal.
It was a precious point for Stirling but the refusal to accept defeat will be the most pleasing factor for manager Mackay, whose side face a tricky Scottish Cup tie at home to Highland League Wick Academy on Saturday before back-to- back away games at Berwick and Edinburgh City.
The former St Johnstone skipper named the same team that had triumphed 3-2 at Borough Briggs, with returning Bino Willie Robertson again included as a trialist at right-back.
Ross McGeachie was fit enough for a place on the bench and impressed when he came on for the last 20 minutes.
Arbroath won 5-3 when the sides met in the August sunshine at Gayfield but, on a freezing afternoon at Forthbank, the first half produced few chances.
Striker Blair Henderson fired over for Stirling before ex-Bino Doris broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time, diverting Kader’s left-wing cross into the corner under pressure from Scott Davidson.
When Little received a second yellow card for hauling down Ross Kavanagh – who had replaced Bryan Hodge in a tactical switch at the break – Albion hopes were raised and Eddie Ferns should have equalised with a header but Gomes made the save.
The Red Lichties, beaten only once this season but with seven draws now from 13 matches, doubled their advantage midway through the half when Ryan McCord’s great work in the middle of the park saw him feed Kader wide on the left. The ex-Forfar man got away from Marc McKenzie and cut inside to beat Chris Smith with a low shot.
Stirling kept going but Canadian custodian Gomes – signed from AC Malveira in Portugal – denied Davidson, Dickson, McKenzie and Henderson and it looked like no more than a consolation when Dickson swept the ball home from 18 yards.
However, with time running out, the 24-year-old smashed an unstoppable volley over the keeper for his fourth goal of the season. He will do well to score a better one.
The ball looped in front of Dickson at the corner of the 18-yard box after it had been cleared from a long throw-in, and he smashed it high and over the impressive visiting keeper.
The goal sparked dramatic celebrations from the players and new boss Mackay, who cut an animated figure on the touchline.
Forthbank has witnessed some dramatic comebacks in its time – notably the play-off against Airdrie in 2007 and the win over Berwick en route to promotion under Greig McDonald but Dickson’s double will live long in the memory.
Stirling remain seventh in the table, seven points outside the top four and three above bottom club Edinburgh City but four points from six represents a good start for new boss Mackay.
The Binos are set to be boosted by a number of players returning to fitness over the next few weeks and the new boss has said he is keen to add to the squad if he can attract quality additions to the Forthbank squad. Arbroath