Stirling 0 Elgin 0

It finished goalless in our penultimate home game of the season as Elgin slipped out of the top four in a tightly packed Ladbrokes League 2.

We remain in sixth place after our second stalemate in a row, following last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Queen’s Park, while City are five without a victory since beating us at Borough Briggs on March 8. Poor finishing let both teams down as we drew 0-0 in the league for the third time this season.

Binos boss Stuart McLaren had to do without the injured Scot Buist and Moses Olanrewaju while Craig Comrie was serving a one-match ban against an Elgin team who were missing suspended pair Marc McKenzie and Dylan Easton.

Phil Johnston and Sean Dickson were restored to the starting XI while U20 full-back Scott Stevenson, who recently returned from a loan spell at East Kilbride, made his debut as a late substitute.

Lewis McLear missed a good early chance when he struck the post from close range then Dickson should have done better than hit the side netting before being denied from distance by a good save from Mark Hurst.

Elgin, who have suffered 10 away defeats in 2015/16, also threatened and Craig Gunn, who has a habit of scoring against Stirling, scuffed a shot across goal then fired wide with just Chris Smith to beat when clean through.

We enjoyed more of the play in the second period but Darren Smith blasted a shot wide after bursting through the middle and we had the ball in the net, only to be thwarted by the offside flag. Daniel Moore had a late opportunity for the visitors but he pulled his effort wide of target as it ended 0-0.

Stirling Albion: C Smith, McGeachie, Forsyth, Mazel, Scott Davidson, McMillan, Johnston (Stevenson 82), Dickson, Doris (Beattie 84), McLear, D Smith (Kavanagh 70). Subs (not used): R Smith, Burns, McKinlay, Binnie (GK).

Elgin City: Hurst, Cooper, Dryden (McLaren 62), Nicolson, Duff, Reilly, Ross, Cameron, Gunn (Lander 77), MacLeod (Moore 68), MacPhee.
Subs (not used): Bruce, Black (GK).

Referee: Kevin Graham

Crowd: 578