Students dent Shire hopes of promotion
EAST STIRLINGSHIRE .............................. 1 STIRLING UNIVERSITY ............................ 2
Stirling University stunned local rivals East Stirlingshire on Saturday as the students grabbed all three points at the Falkirk Stadium.
Second half goals from Callum Downie and Craig Brown gave the University all three Lowland League points - and the result was even more impressive because the oldest member of Stirling’s starting XI was only 21.
Coach Chris Geddes said afterwards: “I thought we were excellent for 90 minutes and I think we deserved it because we more than matched them. East Stirlingshire had a lot of pressure at times, but Ben Fry didn’t have too many saves to make.
“We defended excellently and scored a couple of good goals, so it was really well deserved.”
The University started on the front foot with Connor Doan having the first shot on target after only five minutes. His free kick was well struck, but Jamie Barclay in The Shire goal collected it without any trouble.
Despite their strong start, the students had some defending to do later in the half, which was largely down to former
Aberdeen player Nicky Low. After 24 minutes, he was through on goal, but Uni ‘keeper Ben Fry bravely came off his line and saved the midfielder’s close range effort.
The students had their best effort of the half in stoppage time when Doan played an excellent ball to Liam McMaster on the left wing. The midfielder then squared the ball to Craig Brown, whose shot from the edge of the penalty box was just wide of Barclay’s post.
The second half started similarly to the first, with the visitors looking the more dangerous. Brown was once again involved when he played Robbie McGale through on goal after 53 minutes. McGale’s shot was heading for the roof of the net, but Jamie Barclay did just enough to tip it over the bar.
At the other end, Low lined up a free kick from the edge of the penalty box, but his effort could not clear the wall.
Stirling broke the deadlock after 63 minutes. A brilliant cross from McMaster found substitute Kieran Hall in the box who picked out Callum Downie and he shot home.
The lead was shortlived, however. Poor defending at a corner saw the ball fell to Reis Peggie. Ben Fry looked to have Peggie’s shot covered, but a deflection took the ball over the ‘keeper and into the back of the net.
After equalising, Shire were on the hunt for a winning goal and they might have had it were it not for Doan. Bobby Barr’s cross to the near post was met by Low and his effort was heading for the bottom corner only for Doan managed to deflect the ball on to the post and away to safety.
It was the students though, who scored the vital winner. A ball forward towards Hall looked dangerous. However, the striker knew he was offside and cleverly did not attempt to win it. A poor back pass from Martin Orr was latched on to by Brown and the midfielder rounded the ‘keeper and slotted away the winning goal.
Despite Shire’s protests that Hall influenced play and should have been ruled offside, the goal stood and gave the students a slim lead into the final minutes of the game.
University: Fry, Burrows, Quigley, Mailer, Downie, Doan, Brown, Berry, Penker (Hall 57), McMaster (Heath 77), McGale (Jarvis 60).