League Division Two, Forthbank Stadium

StirlingAlbion 3 East Fife 3

 

 

 

 

Another week; another high-scoring cracker of a game against one of the League leaders - and again the Fifers denied three points by a late equaliser. This was an entertaining affair, and a draw was just about the right result.

 

The home side looked sharper from the kick-off, but were stunned when the Fifers took the lead on 7 minutes. An innocuous throw-in for the Binos 40 yards out was cleverly intercepted by Young, who drove straight towards goal, and fired a shot low into the corner of the net past Christie. This gave the Fifers all the encouragement they needed, and they took the game by the scruff of the neck - a Muir header was cleared off the line by McKeown; Smart's 30 yarder went well over; McManus prodded home from an Ovenstone knock-down, but was ruled offside; then Watson had a 25 yarder well saved.

 

 

 

Back came the home side; Brown making a great save from Colquhoun. The pressure continued, and an equaliser came on 25 minutes when Aitken's shot from inside the box deflected off Smart into the net, after the defence had failed to clear properly. The Binos were now on top; Colquhoun mis-hitting from 8 yards; then McKenna forcing a great stop from Brown. For the remainder of the half, the Fifers were limited to long-range efforts from Linn and Muir that posed little danger.

 

The Fifers failed to settle quickly at the start of the second half, as the Binos pressed, and the quality of passes and balls forward seemed to drop. Campbell made two superb tackles within moments, then Colquhoun headed wide when in a prime position to score. The seemingly inevitable happened on the hour mark, however, when O'Brien was given too much room on the right; he raced into the box; evaded soft tackles; and fired home from an angle to give the home side the lead.

 

Brown was then to make two great saves to keep the game alive - first with his feet; and then a marvellous one-handed save after O'Brien broke free and faced him 1-to-1. That was the turning point; back came the Fifers, and within a few minutes were in the lead. On 71 minutes, Crawford flicked on a Muir free kick, for McManus to evade McKeown and fire home from 10 yards. Two minutes later, Crawford won a long ball, and laid it on to McManus to fire home from the same spot.

 

 

Stirling were shaken, but to their credit came roaring back, and it was now end-to-end stuff; with chances at either end. On 82 minutes, a corner was delivered into the Fife box, where Forsyth was able to head it into the corner of the net by climbing on McCunnie. Mr Hilland wasn't interested in appeals by the defenders. Both teams then looked for a winner - McManus failed to hit the target from a great Conway cross; a Gibson free kick 22 yards out was blocked by the Fife wall; Brown held a Mullen effort; then McManus just failed to reach a Crawford flick in the final minute. Another breathless finish, and full marks to both sides for effort and attitude.

 

Stirling Albion: Christie, Graham, Forsyth, McKeown, Allison, Aitken, Gibson [O'Neill 88], Devine [Robertson 33], Colquhoun, McKenna [Mullen 73], O'Brien. Subs not used: Hogarth, Murphy.

 

East Fife: Brown, Watson, Ovenstone, Smart, S Campbell [Conway 66], McCunnie, Young, Crawford, McManus, Muir, Linn [Fagan 81]. Subs not used: Stobie, R Campbell, Sludden.

 

Referee: G Hilland

 

Booked: Fagan [EF]