Stirling Albion and Cove Rangers played out an exciting 2-2 draw at Forthbank, with both goals coming from Dale Carrick on his 100th appearance for the club.

 

Cove Rangers, coming into the match off the back of a tiring 3-1 victory against Brora Rangers after extra time and having won only one of their last six league matches, the Binos were hopeful of securing all three points.

 

Cove Rangers kicked off the game, but it was Albion who created the first chance with a beautifully crafted cross from Kieran Moore finding Lewis Milne, whose subsequent pass to Jack Leitch led to a shot that bounced over the bar.

 

Cove Rangers responded strongly, with Blair Yule and Rumarn Burrell testing Blair Currie, but it was Stirling who broke the deadlock in the 37th minute.

 

Dale Carrick, marking his 100th appearance for the club, coolly converted a penalty into the bottom left corner of the net, beyond the reach of Nicholas Suman, putting the Binos 1-0 up just before half-time.

 

Half-Time: 1-0

 

The second half saw Cove Rangers come out looking more aggressive in pursuit of an equalising goal, which eventually came through captain Mitch Megginson in the 60th minute, who slotted the ball well out of Currie’s reach.

 

The game wouldn’t remain level for long, however, as three minutes later, Dale Carrick scored his second of the match with a striking deflected shot that soared into the air and dropped into the back of the Cove net, bewildering the Cove goalkeeper.

 

However, this lead didn’t last long, as league top scorer Rumarn Burrell made it 2-2 in the 69th minute.

 

Both teams then had several chances to take the lead and clinch a winner but failed to do so, with several substitutions also being made to bring fresh legs onto the pitch.

 

Despite a series of late corners towards the end of the match, with the biggest chance once again coming from a Dale Carrick header which hit the outside of the post, the score remained level at 2-2.

 

Full-Time: 2-2

 

Stirling Albion: Currie, Clark, McLean, McGregor, Cummins, Carrick, Leitch (Cooper 71’), Moore (Wilson 79’), Banner, Milne, Hilson (Offord 79’)

 

Substitutes: Weir, McGeachie, Dunsmore, Wilson, Offord, Miller, Cooper, Spence, Bird

 

 

Cove Rangers: Suman, Doyle, Scully, Niang, Yule, Megginson, Burrell, Kerr, Reynolds, Sheils, Lawal (Connell 72’)

 

Substitutes: Robertson, Jones, Gillingham, McGowan, Connell, Darge, Stewart