It was a top of the table clash at Forthbank on Saturday as league leaders Dumbarton made the journey east to Stirling with a 5-point lead heading into the match.
Stirling lined up in their usual 4-4-2 system with an unchanged team for the 3rd week in a row while Dumbarton made a couple of changes from their 0-0 draw with Forfar the week before.
Dumbarton had the first real chance of the game on 6 minutes as Michael Garrity made a darting run into the box only for Jordan McGregor to make an excellently timed challenge and clear the danger.
The first goal of the game didn’t take long to come though, some lovely play on the edge of the box allowed Robert Thomson to turn and curl a lovely shot into the bottom left corner and after that it was all one-way traffic.
The second came less than a minute later. Jack Leitch whipped in a delightful corner and captain Paul McLean got a delicate flick onto the ball finding the top corner and making it 2-0.
The third came on 22 minutes. Dumbarton were caught in possession and Kai Fotheringham found loads of space down the left. He made for the bye-line and dinked a great cross in for an unmarked Dale Carrick to fire home for his 10th goal of the season. 3-0.
It was then 4-0 on 42 minutes. Another excellent corner from Jack Leitch saw the ball break to Ross McGeachie in the box and he slotted home for his first of the season and Stirling’s 4th of the first half.
Half Time – Stirling Albion 4 Dumbarton FC 0
Robert Thomson, who had picked up a knock during the first half, was replaced by Harrison Clark at half time as the Binos shifted into a 4-2-3-1 system.
The first chance of the second half came on the hour mark as a ball bouncing around in the Dumbarton box was half-cleared by Carswell only to bounce off Kai Fotheringham and drop just wide of the post.
Goal number 5 soon arrived though. A corner swung in by Danny Denholm, who had replaced Jack Leitch after picking up a knock, was met by the head of Kyle Banner and he bulleted a header home for 5-0.
Banner was at it again only 5 minutes later. Another corner dropped to the feet of the Albion midfielder at the back post. He was completely unmarked and slotted the ball home for 6-0. First time in Kyle’s career he has scored a double in a match.
Full time – Stirling Albion 6 Dumbarton FC 0
Stirling Albion: Currie, McGeachie, McLean, McGregor, C.Clark, Moore(Dunsmore 63’), Banner(Davidson 74’), Leitch(Denholm 54’), Fotheringham, Thomson(H.Clark 46’), Carrick(Burns 74’)
Overall, an excellent performance by the Binos who move to only 2 points behind Dumbarton at the top of league 2. It’s a short journey along to FK5 next week as Stirling take on local rivals Stenhousemuir for what promises to be a cracking encounter. See you there!
