Mclean seals the deal for the Binos
It was captain fantastic Paul Mclean to the rescue for Stirling Albion as they held off a Charlie Reilly inspired Albion Rovers to set up a massive midweek top-of-the-table clash at Dumbarton.
The Binos were made to work for it by the relegation-threatened hosts, who kept it tight to the end – in keeping with the pair of draws the sides had traded in their previous two matches.
Stirling made the perfect start just four minutes into the afternoon – and it was a belter of a strike to open up the scoring.
Following a Stirling long throw, a Rovers defensive header fell to Danny Denholm 20 yards from goal and he planted a fabulous volley high past Leighfield.
Ross Mcgeachie headed over from close range after a teasing corner from the right by the full-of-confidence Denholm.
However, Rovers talisman Reilly was about to make his mark on the game to turn things in the favour of the Coatbridge side.
The young winger had already scored twice against Stirling this season and after the home side were caught upfield, he raced through on goal and curled a delightful outside-the-boot finish beyond Mark Weir.
It wasn’t long before Reilly had turned the game completely on its head with his second on 36 minutes.
He picked up the ball in midfield and after shrugging off the challenge of Ross Davidson, his shot from the edge of the box took a nick off Mclean before rebounding into the net off the inside of the right post.
The home side, who had largely been in control, were shocked into action and found
STIRLING ALBION .................................... 3 ALBION ROVERS ....................................... 2 a crucial leveller two minutes from the break.
It was the simplest of goals, with Weir’s long diagonal flicked on by Denholm to Dale Carrick, who showed strength to hold off his opponent and knock the ball beyond Leighfield.
Stirling started the second half stronger, with Davidson firing over the bar with an effort from the right side of the box after good interplay with Denholm.
Denholm then nearly found the decisive goal when he weaved his way into the Rovers’ box but his deflected close-range shot was tipped wide by Leighfield.
However, the big moment was to arrive from the restart on 68 minutes.
After Kieran Moore’s corner was headed clear, his follow-up delivery was hooked back into play by Carrick and found its way to Mclean, who couldn’t miss from a yard out.
Rovers pushed for a third goal of the match themselves and had strong penalty appeals waved away by ref Ross Hardie when Flynn Duffy’s hand appeared to block Callum Wilson’s cross.
The visitors’ frustrations were amplified when Blair Malcolm was given a straight red card on 85 minutes for mouthing off to the referee after the game was stopped for a challenge on Kyle Banner.
There was still one more scare for the Binos defence to survive, when Kyle Fleming’s rising shot clipped the bar with Weir scrambling.
But the Binos held on for another battling result in a season full of them to set up a decisive dust-up in West Dunbartonshire.
Stirling Albion – Weir, Mcgeachie, Mclean, Cummins, Davidson, Carrick (Spence 83’), Denholm (Dunsmore 76’), Banner, Moore (Hamilton 83’), Duffy, Thomson (Leitch 57’).
Albion Rovers – Leighfield, Fernie (Mcculloch 49’), Malcolm, Fagan, Fleming, Wilson, Leslie, Reilly, Mccoll, Mutale (Dolan 49’), Graham.
Referee – Ross Hardie.