Wednesday 20 August 1997

Scottish Coca Cola Cup Round Three - Home - Forthbank Stadium

Stirling Albion V Kilmarnock

6 (2) v (0) 2

A.Paterson 37, Gibson 40,	Vareille 58
Tait 55, McCormack 70,73,	Wright 74
Taggart 90

Attendance :- 2,154

When First Division Stirling Albion were drawn to face Premier League and Scottish Cup holders Kilmarnock in the third round of the Coca Cola Cup you would have expected the Binos to put up a resiliant performance but in the end Kilmarnock would prove to strong for the Binos and the Reds would go out of the cup losing by two or three goals.

Well how different it was, a mind blowing , exhilarating, and breathtaking performance from the Binos blew Kilmarnock back to Ayrshire with only the thought of the following weeks European Tie keeping them from going into hibernation for the rest of the season.

The Binos had lost only twice in their last 24 matches stretching way back to December 1996 despite only having a squad of seventeen players. But the display the Binos put on that night still has the fans raving about it at present and they will no doubt tell many more generations of fans' about this great night.

Premier League Kilmarnock started the match without suspended captain Ray Montgomerie and first choice keeper Yugoslavian Dragoje Lekovic but they did include new signing's Pat Nevin and Jerome Vareille and it was Kilmarnock who started the match more promisingly with a lopping header from Paul Wright forcing Mark McGeown in the Stirling goal into an early save after only four minutes.

Kilmarnock came close again five minutes later when Alex Burke's cross ricocheted to Jerome Vareille but the skillful Frenchman shot wide. The Albion however were coming more into the game and were threatening Kilmarnock everytime they ventured forward with the impressive Craig Taggart in midfield beginning to shine for the Binos.

The Albion took a deserved lead on 38 minutes when Derek Anderson committed a foul on John Gibson at the edge of the Kilmarnock box and free kick specialist Andy Paterson strode up and fired in a rocket through the defensive wall and past Killie keeper Colin Meldum. Killie were rocked by this and less than two minutes later they found themselves further behind when Craig Taggart raced past Derek Anderson on the right wing, Taggart's cross was missed by Stirling's Stuart McLaren but it fell to John Gibson who headed home for number two.

Andy Paterson Fires the Binos in Front

When the second half started and Kilmarnock were denied a stonewall penalty after Andy Paterson chopped Paul Wright in the box and referee Stuart Dougall waved play on Killie should just have gave up there and then and admitted that it was not going to be their night.

Because it took only 10 minutes into the second half for Stirling to go three up, This time it was captain Tommy Tait who got on the scoresheet when his header from a Taggart cross was parried onto the bar by Colin Meldrum but the ball eventually found the net to send the Albion faithful wild with joy and disbelief.

Kilmarnock then rolled up their sleeves and dug in deep to stop the flow of goals and Jerome Vareille managed to grap a goal back for Kille on 58 minutes when he fired past McGeown after side stepping two Stirling defenders.

The Albion then sent on goal hero and star of the Binos at that time Steve McCormick who had just signed a new one year contract with the Binos days before this match. And it did not take the bean pole striker long to make his mark as he headed in number four with nineteen minutes remaining.

Killie then pressed forward leaving gaps in their defence and those gaps were exposed by McCormick again when he raced onto a Taggart through ball, drew Meldrum out from his goal line before ramming the ball past him for his second in three minutes.

Immediately after the restart Paul Wright pulled another back for Killie when he headered past McGeown. But in the dying seconds of the game with the Albion fans ready to salute and toast a great victory, man of the match Craig Taggart decided to dent Killie's pride even further when he raced onto a Mark McGeown kick to outpace the Killie defenders and volley a low shot past Meldrum to seal the rout.

The Albion players produced a breathtaking performance on the night, which will go down as one of the most impressive performances and scores ever seen by Albion fans. The players that night displayed a sence of pride and joy to play for the Albion and it certainly left the Albion faithful feeling very proud on a night that showed Scottish Football that Stirling Albion are capable of competing with the best.

Steve McCormick salutes the fans as he celebrates his double and the Binos six goal rout over Premier League Kilmarnock.

Stirling Albion:- Mark McGeown, Andy Paterson, Paul Deas, Garry Carberry, Ronnie McQuilter, Gary Paterson, Alex Bone, Tommy Tait, Stuart McLaren, Craig Taggart, John Gibson. Subs: Kevin Bain, Gregor McKechnie, Steve McCormick

Kilmarnock:- Meldrum, MacPherson, Baker, Anderson, McGowne, Reilly, Nevin, Findlay, Wright, Vareille, Burke. Subs: Mitchell, McIntyre, Kerr

John Gibson and Craig Taggart congratulate each other.