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Stirling Albion 2; ROSS COUNTY 1 |
Mark Hateley returned to the Scottish game yesterday in Braveheart country. However, the Englishman international could not help his new side to victory in this second division clash at Forthbank, not a great distance from Bannockburn.
Ross County battled well in the second half but they were unable to preserve their unbeaten record in this league.
A fit-looking Hateley, in spite of a 10-month lay-off, began to rediscover his touch as the game progressed. He was disappointed with the outcome, but he was pleased that he managed "to get in the 90 minutes" and was playing again because "I just enjoy it".
No doubt his satisfaction will be all the greater if his new teammates can supply him with some decent service in the coming weeks. Time after time, Hateley took up position in the penalty area waiting for that tantalising cross to arrive. It never came. A combination of indifferent attempts and dogged marking by the Albion rearguard saw to that.
The other means of utilising their new signing's aerial power seemed logically to have been the route-one approach, but this was ignored by County. However, it does beg the question of whether, in the longer term, Hateley's arrival will force them to adjust their measured playing style.
Hateley became less peripheral as County rallied after the break, but it was the endeavours of others, notably Kevin Finlayson and John McGlashan, the second half substitutes, that propelled them into a position where a share of the points seemed plausible.
However, Stirling refused to be distracted by the intrigue sparked by Hateley's presence; and with their defence tidily organised by Brian Martin, the visitors failed to bring any pressure to bear upon Jason Gardiner's goal in the first half.
Chances were in short supply at both ends, and it seemed as if the break through would be through good fortune rather than skill. It was Stirling that profited from their chances to seize a two-goal advantage by the interval.
In the first few minutes, a communication breakdown between Brian Irvine and Nicky Walker allowed a Paul McGrillen shot spill to Ally Graham, who neatly chipped the ball into the net to give the home side the breakthrough.
Their second was a more satisfying effort, when John McQuade sent a beautiful curling drive well beyond the grasp of Nicky Walker.
A cleverly headed goal by McGlashan for the visitors midway through the second half brough County back into the game. It was no more than the visitors' spirited fight-back deserved. However, an equaliser was to elude them as Stirling's increasingly desperate defending just kept Hateley - who came closest with a header from three yards out late on - at bay.
Ross County: Walker; Tully, Maxwell, Irvine (McGlashan, 52), McBain, Escalon, Gilbert, Ferguson, Ross (Finlayson, 45), Shaw and Hateley. Unused Sub: Fraser.
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ROSS COUNTY 1; Stirling Albion 3 |
County controlled the first half seemingly effortlessly but after a string of poor results this proved only to be a mirage.
When Joe Tortolano was dismissed in the 53rd minute for a tw-footed tackle on Tonny Mols it was thought that County would protect their 1-0 lead and go on to win. Yet it was 10-man Albion who drew the plaudits at the end when they scored three goals without reply. The boos from the near 3,000 home fans must be ringing loudly in the manager's and player's ears.
Former Hearts striker Derek Holmes came close to creating the opener for County in the second minute when he cut the ball back from the lest only for Gary Wood to hit the ball wide from the edge of the area.
County's pressure play continued until the 19th minute when Tonny Mols, a surprise triallist, slammed in a long range effort. Gardner could only block the shot and Holmes following up slammed the ball home.
The second ahlf started brightly with Mark Duthiemaking an excellent run out of defence but the visitors' defence was alert to the threat. With Tortolano being dismissed in the 53rd minute County seemed to be taking control of the match.
However, Albion were not finished and McGrillen picked up a rebound inside the box and it was 1-1.
County were creating chances at the other end the best of which saw a Brian Irvine header tipped wide by Gardner at full stretch.
Minutes later, Connor Campbell, who had come on as a replacement for Wood, was sent clean through by Holmes but Gardner won the race to clear his lines.
County's hopes were shattered in the 76th minute when McQuade waltzed through the heart of the home defence before neatly placing the ball out of Walker's reach.
County tried everything to get back into the game but they lacked inventiveness in attack to break down a stuffy Stirling defence. McQuade killed off the game with a goal on the break to earn three points for his side.
Ross County: Walker; Duthie, Maxwell, Irvine, Lennon, Fraser (Finlayson, 77), Mols, Holmes, Wood (Campbell, 56) and Kinnaird. Unused Sub: McKay, D.
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Stirling Albion 3; ROSS COUNTY 1 |
Ross County's inconsistent season continued as they lost to Stirling Albion for the third time this season, missing out on the chance to go second in the table as a result.
The visitors had won just one of their previous four games and were badly in need of a victory, but they fell at Forthbank after precisely 33 seconds.
Jim Gardner crossed from the left and the ball eventually broke to John McQuade who steered the ball into the net from the edge of the box.
McQuade almost scored again in the tenth minute but his shot flew over the crossbar.
County have struggled all season to score goals and they failed to make much impression on a weak Albion defence which has conceded a barrowload of goals already this season.
Stirling made sure of a victory after the interval when Alex Bone, on loan from Ayr United, scored from close range after he latched on to a pass from Andy Patterson.
Then McQuade scored his second and Stirling's third when he ran through the defence before firing a shot under the body of Nicky Walker.
In a flurry of activity four County players were booked in the last ten minutes before Brian Irvine headed home a Paul Kinnaird free kick to score a consoloation goal for a lacke-lustre Ross County side.
Ross County: Walker; Tully, Irvine, Fraser (Escalon, 80), Cormack (Shaw, 61), Gilbert, McBain, S Ferguson, D Ferguson, Holmes (Geraghty, 22) and Kinnaird.
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ROSS COUNTY 5; Stirling Albion 1 |
They were singing in the rain, if not quite dancing in the streets, after this inspiring attacking display from a leaner, meaner looking Ross County stylishly avenging a trio of defeats against Stirling Albion.
A double from George Shaw and goals from Derek Holmes, Brian Irvine and John McGlashan nudged County closer to their promotion dream.
The match only just passed a late pitch inspection in driving rain and conditions proved to be so treacherous that the referee called a second check at half time - but how County must be grateful that he played on.
Player-manager John Philliben tested young County 'keeper Gary Hamilton with a stinging early free kick and Pat Clark fired a free header staright into his arms in 19 minutes.
Chances were few and far between, but George Shaw broke the deadlock with a flighted ball from the left edge of the box which appeared to have been a miscued cross.
But there was no doubting the former Dunfermline and Dundee striker's intentions three minutes later when he latched on to a long Derek Ferguson through ball and deftly chipped the 'keeper from just inside the area.
County stormed two ahead only four minutes after the opener after an explosive run by John McGlashan on the right.
The ex-Dundee man's pin-point cross was headed home by ex-Hearts striker Derek Holmes at the far post.
A spectacular diving header from skipper Brian Irvine from Paul Kinnaird's corner put County firmly in the driving seat and it was all over five minutes later.
Kinnaird's free kick from the right had the Albion players appealing for off-side but as they stood protesting unmarked John McGlashan rolled the ball past the 'keeper.
Shaw netted his second and completed the five-goal rout in 82 minutes, rebounding an Irvine effort past the stranded 'keeper from close range.
Albion scrambled a late consolation goal from Alan Aitkin rigbt at the death.
Ross County: Hamilton; McGlashan (McBain, 87), Duthie, Maxwell, Irvine, D McKay, Shaw, D Ferguson (Fraser, 63), Holmes, Taggart and Kinnaird (Bone, 73).
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