Binos can make it seven away wins in a row for the first time in almost 70 years
Stirling Albion will equal a club record that has stood for almost 70 years if they beat Clyde at Broadwood this Saturday.
Dave Mackay’s men came from behind to beat Edinburgh City 2-1 at Ainslie Park with goals from Ross Kavanagh and Callumn Morrison and stay two points clear in Ladbrokes League 2.
It was a fifth successive away league victory and the Betfred Cup triumph at Forfar in July extends the overall sequence to six – one game short of the club’s best ever run of seven successive away wins in a season. They achieved the feat in 1950/51, when they were promoted to the top flight, and again in 1968/69 when Willie McFarlane’s men finished fourth in the old Second Division.
Celtic, Manchester City and Stirling Albion are the only three sides still with 100 per cent league records across the eight divisions north and south of the border and Mackay hopes his team can keep their good run going this weekend, against a Clyde side who have U20 coach Tony McNally in temporary charge following the recent departure of Jim Chapman.
Mackay said: “We need to improve our home form but our away form has been exceptional. It’s going to be another tricky one against Clyde but if we have to battle we should be up for it and I think we showed that against Edinburgh City.”
He praised the travelling fans for their backing. “The away support has been incredible – they come in their numbers and they are vocal. You would love it to be a little bit more like that at home because it certainly makes a difference.
“The fans respond to what they are seeing – just one example of that was towards the end of the game when Callumn Morrison made a 40-yard run to press someone in the full-back area and gets a block on it and the fans get encouraged and the players feed off that.”
Stirling looked in trouble when onloan Falkirk forward Scott Shepherd gave City the lead with a stunning strike but the Binos boss was pleased with the response of his players.
He added: “City have improved from the last time we played them and I expect them to start picking up points.
“The first goal was a great finish from Ross Kavanagh because it wasn’t an easy one to take and he did really well to set up the second for Callumn.
“Cammy Binnie had a great stop when they were 1-0 up and I think it was Steven Noble who blocked the follow-up on the line. If that goes in it’s a totally different game. Cammy had another good save at the end – and he got the ball away into a good area.”
Injured pair Willie Robertson and Peter MacDonald will miss the trip to Broadwood and Ross Smith is also a doubt after sitting out the Ainslie Park match.
Mackay moved Lee Hamilton into the centre of defence alongside Ross McGeachie during the first half. “Lee playing in the middle is something I’ve thought of doing because I think he has all the attributes to be a very good centre-half. He is good on the ball but he is strong in the air and in one-on-one situations and, like Ross McGeachie, I think he is suited to being a centre-half.
“That was my plan at the beginning but I went with Ewan McNeil as he has played there more often but I realised pretty quickly that it was probably better with Lee in there and Ewan is very good on the ball at right-back.
“Steven Noble didn’t do a lot wrong when he was in the team earlier in the season but I didn’t feel he was playing anywhere near as well as he could do. He had a bit of a hip problem which probably hampered him. Lee took his opportunity and almost made that leftback position his own but I thought Steven was excellent at the weekend.”