Stirling Albion: Hogarth, Graham, Lowing, Lawrie, Forsyth, O’Neill, Corr (Trialist 75), Murphy, Harty (Waddell 90), Grehan (McKenna 63), Taggart. Subs (not used): Devine, Christie.

East Fife: McCulloch, Nugent, Stanic, Smart, Tweed (McDonald 40), Stewart, Linn, Young, Crawford (Templeman 75), McManus (O’Reilly 75), Cameron. Subs (not used): Gordon, Brown.

Not the victory that Stirling craved but a step in the right direction that ended a run of three early-season defeats.
John O’Neill nodded the hosts in front early in the second half but 13 minutes later Dougie Cameron was given far too much space to head Bobby Linn’s right-wing cross firmly into the net.
Albion might have won the first meeting between the teams since 2003 but the Methil men were worthy of a draw – an outcome that extends their unbeaten sequence in this fixture to eight matches.

It was a bit of a struggle early on but East Fife failed to make their possession count. Linn might have broken the stalemate on the half hour mark but thumped his shot wide. Albion hadn’t troubled East Fife keeper Willie McCulloch at this stage with Ian Harty quieter than in previous matches but it took a wonderful save to keep out Paul Murphy’s curling shot before McCulloch made another smart stop to repel a Martin Grehan effort.

When Stirling did forge in front nine minutes after half-time it was their third goal in a row to come via a corner kick. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a side that specialised in failing to capitalise on corner after corner in previous seasons. It got to the stage where the players must have thought it illegal to profit from a set-piece but it’s all change now.

Stirling then had a penalty claim turned down when Harty appeared to be bundled over by McCulloch. In the 67th minute it was 1-1. Corr passed the ball inside when he should have launched it down the line and it was shuttled to the right flank from where Linn crossed for Cameron to score easily.

It was an open game after that. O’Neill stung McCulloch’s fingers with a powerful drive and Andy Lawrie had a chance with a late header but, if anything, it was East Fife who looked more threatening. Hogarth made a fine stop from a Jonathan Smart volley but was lucky to escape when he let slip a Templeman effort and Cameron bashed the loose ball wide.

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