Stair Park, Stranraer, Saturday 16th August 2008, 3PM
STRANRAER		1	V				0	STIRLING ALBION
Gregory Tade			86
Half-time: 0 V 0							Crowd: 302
	MATCH STATISTICS
5	Shots On Target								4
5	Shots Off Target								5
4	Corners Won								6
4	Caught Offside								1
	CRIME COUNT					REFEREE: Eddie Smith
8	Fouls Committed								9
1	Cautions								2
0	SendingÕs Off								0
	TEAM LINE UPS
Black, Kane, Creany, Dobbins, White, Nicoll, Gibson, McBride, Frizzell, McConalogue, Tade. Subs: Noble, Mitchell, Osborne, Budinauckas.					Hogarth, Graham, Lowing, Lawrie, Forsyth, OÕNeil, Corr, Murphy, Harty, Grehan, Taggart. Subs: McKenna, Devine, Trialist, Waddle, Christie.

 

Stirling made the long trip south to Stair Park to take on Stranraer, in a bid to secure their first win of the season. The only change to the team line up since the last match at Forthbank was Trialist Sean Fagan replacing the Binos other trialist Chris Hamilton. Stranraer were also looking for their first win of their return to the Second division after being promoted when Gretna dropped out of the league set up at the end of last season.

On a rather wet day at Stair Park the Binos struggled to get into the game as Stranraer's Kevin Nicoll took a long range strike at the Stirling goal but his effort went curling over the bar. Stirling were soon to record their first attempt at goal when former Stranraer hit man Ian Harty managed to hit a shot at Scott Black's goal but his first shot rebounded back into his path and the striker couldn't control his second attempt as he sent the ball wide of the goal. Stranraer were looking the more impressive of the two sides when a Gregory Tade cross was accidentally turned goal ward's by the Stirling captain Ross Forsyth luckily Myles Hogarth was on hand to clear the ball past the post and prevent the embarrassment of a own goal for Forsyth. The Binos soon had a chance to get the opener when Nathan Taggart corner was met by Paul Murphy who managed to hit a shot from 18 yards out but the goal bound effort from the midfielder was deflected wide for another corner. Stirling were soon on the back foot again as Craig Frizzle went past the tackles of the Stirling defence only to hit a weak shot at Myles Hogarth who easily gathered the strike.

The best chance of the half came when Martin Grehan gathered a long pass and as he managed to lose his marker he set up assistant manager John O'Neil who was clean through on goal but for some reason the bosses assistant decided to take the shot on his left foot and sent the ball wide of the left hand post. As the half moved on the conditions got more blustery it made playing good football more difficult. Paul Murphy soon started off Stirling's next chance to take the lead when he won the ball in a tackle and it broke to Ian Harty who made a dash to the Stranraer box and just as he entered the area he picked his spot and sent the ball towards the left of the goal but unluckily for the Bino's the ball went past the post. Stranraer weren't being left out of taking a chance at goal as Stephen McConalogue picked up on a loose ball and he sent a shot directly at Myles Hogarth. Nathan Taggart was making himself known in the game as one of his crosses picked out the head of Albion youngster Liam Corr but Corr couldn't keep his header down as he was under pressure from Sranraer's Ian Dobbins.

Play soon switched to the other end of the pitch when Stranraer were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal, up stepped Martin McBride who sent in a dipping strike but his effort dipped a bit too late and went over the bar. The Binos were soon attacking again as Martin Grehan passed to Paul Murphy who seen his initial effort blocked and then his follow up header was directly at Stranraer goalkeeper Scott Black. As half time closed in the Binos should have been awarded a penalty when Andy Graham was held by James Creaney but referee Eddie Smith didn't point to the spot and Creaney avoided a red card.

Half Time: Stranraer 0 v 0 Stirling Albion

As the teams emerged for the second half Allan Moore had decided to change things around when he switched Martin Grehan for David McKenna. As the second half got under way Stranraer soon had a free kick when Andy Lawrie brought down Stephen McConalogue. Referee Eddie Smith was soon to book Lawrie for the challenge. The resulting free kick was well placed by Martin McBride as he picked out the head of Kevin Nicoll who made Myles Hogarth tip the ball over the bar for a corner. Andy Graham was soon attracting the referee's attention when he pulled back an advancing Stranraer player. Eddie Smith didn't think twice about showing the Stirling defender a yellow card for his actions but in comparison to the penalty claim Andy Graham had at the end of the first half it looked like a less obvious tug than James Creaney's clear tug in the previous half.

Stranraer were soon looking like they were going to take the lead when McConalogue left Ross Forsyth trailing in his wake  but Forsyth did manage to maintain the pressure and McConalogue could only manage to scuff his shot wide of goal. Another Martin McBride free kick put the pressure on Myles Hogarth but the experienced keeper easily gathered the shot. Allan Moore soon realised that he had to change things again as the team were not managing to get out of first gear and he decided to replace Liam Corr with Stewart Devine. Stirling had another glimpse of goal from a John O'Neil free kick that was collected by David McKenna who hit a shot across the face of goal. The Binos made their final change of the game when trialist Sean Fagan replaced Paul Murphy. Stranraer also used this break of play to make their first change when Steven Noble replaced James Creaney. Stirling were still in hunt for the opening goal when Ian Harty hit a long range strike just over the bar just before he set up Stewart Devine who could only manage to put the ball past the wrong side of Scott Black's left hand post. Nathan Taggart was the next Albion man to have a shot at goal but he couldn't keep his shot down.

Stranraer made their second change of the game when Daniel Mitchell replaced Stephen McConalogue. The home side nearly took the lead when Myles Hogarth messed up a save and dropped the ball at the feet of a Stranraer player who was soon hitting a shot at goal only to see Ross Forsyth making a diving header to clear the danger for the Binos. Former Bino Andy Gibson managed to get a shot at goal for Stranraer but his shot just slipped past the post for a goal kick.

After David McKenna came on at half time he wasn't involved much and when he did get involved in the game he could only manage a weak shot at Scott Black who easily gathered the effort. Just as the match drew to a close it was looking like it was going to be a stalemate but Stranraer's Gregory Tade was set to change things when he headed a cross off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net to take the lead for Stranraer.

The final action of the match nearly had the Albion back on level terms when David McKenna set up Nathan Taggart to send in a low shot across the face of goal but his shot was wasted as it went well wide of the post and to make things worse for the Albion if Taggart had cut the ball back towards Ian Harty, Stirling would have been making the return home with a share of the points but sadly it wasn't to be. The Binos now go into next week's home tie against Ayr United still looking for their first win of the season.