Big win boosts chances of play-off place

Stirling Albion boss Kevin Rutkiewicz praised the resilience of his players after they shut out League 2 leaders Edinburgh City to claim a 1-0 away win.

Darren Smith’s 51stminute goal keeps the Binos seven points outside the play-off places with a game in hand on fourth-placed Annan Athletic, who they host in a crucial game this weekend. Albion are also at home to Queen’s Park the following Saturday and end the month away to bottom club Albion Rovers, so it could be a pivotal period in their season. Saturday’s victory marked the halfway stage of a campaign that sees Stirling sitting seventh in the table – but the top four teams are within reach after just one defeat in eight matches.

It was a very impressive display in the capital and Rutkiewicz was keen to stress that it had been a real team effort from his players to upset the odds.

He said: “I’m chuffed for the boys. From the keeper all the way through to Peaso (Peter MacDonald) at the top, every player put in 100 per cent effort. They believed in what they were doing and I couldn’t be happier for them.

“I couldn’t single anyone out. The defence saw off the biggest threat in the league – Blair Henderson with 20-plus goals already this season was limited to very few chances.

“The two boys who came in – Kyle Banner and Cammy Thomson (pictured above) – were fantastic but nobody was better than anyone else, it was a real team performance. We need to back it up now. There is no point coming to Edinburgh and winning 1-0 if you don’t back it up with two home games coming up.

“Tactics go out the window when you go across that white line. It’s just about manning up and they have done that against the best in the league. We’ve matched them over 90 minutes but we need to now replicate that as the weeks go by.

“I thought the shape was