Albion Rovers 3 v 3 East Stirlingshire

Click to enlarge

Attendance : 225

Scorer ~ Albion Rovers : Stirling (13, 27), McManus (33). East Stirlingshire : Ure (14), Robertson (17), Thywisson (30).

East Stirling under the management of Dennis Newall who quit as a coach at Cliftonhill to take the unpaid job came to Coatbridge having failed to win any points all season and having scored only 2 league goals in 7 matches. All of that was to change in a mad 20 minute period! Rovers striker John Bradford missed the match due to injury.

'Shire had the first significant move of the match when Derek Ure had his header go wide after a long ball into the Rovers box. Paul McManus had a decent shot held by 'keeper Gilpin but was judged to be offside.

In 13 minutes the mad 20 minute period started when Jered Stirling took a free-kick from 35 yards, the ball bounced in the 'Shire box and went into the goal. Within 60 seconds the Falkirk side were on level terms, Ross Donaldson crossed the ball into the box narrowly missing Danny Black who could have scored an own-goal, Derek Ure had no trouble with the tap-in.

Just 3 minutes later 'Shire went ahead when Joe Robertson had an easy tap-in from a David Harvey cross into the box. It took 10 minutes for Rovers to equalise when Jered Stirling took a free-kick which was again about 35 yards from goal. This time the ball was deflected and bounced over 'keeper Gilpin's hand at the foot of his goalpost and into the net.

On the half hour mark 'Shire regained the lead when a Scott Livingstone through ball found Thywisson in the centre of the goal and he slipped it past Fahey. Rovers equalised once more when Paul McManus fired the ball into the net after a long ball into the box ricocheted off a couple of the visiting players who failed to clear the danger.

In the run in to half-time Alan Moffat launched the ball over the Rovers crossbar and Jim Mercer had a header easily held by 'Shire stopper Gilpin.

Second Half

Cliftonhill gaffer brought on 2 substitutes at half-time to try and turn the tide, Connolly and Crabbe replacing McLaren and McCaul respectively.

It was the visitors who were first to try their luck with a Robertson free-kick from 25 yards being caught by Fahey. Not to be outdone Mark Yardley knocked the ball onto Paul McManus but the shot was too high. Ross Donaldson was next up when he turned quickly and shot at goal, Fahey was on hand to prevent a goal.

Rovers captain Jim Mercer had a couple of attempts fail to put his team back in front. Firstly he got onto the end of a Stirling corner and headed over the bar, then again it was a Stirling corner that led to the big man heading down forcing Gilpin to get down quickly to save. A couple of minutes later another Stirling corner produced a shot which was cleared off the line by Harvey.

Paul McManus ran in on goal but had his shot saved, the ball rebounded to the striker who tried to lift the ball over the 'keeper to his colleagues but Gilpin stretched to get a hand to it.

An Oates shot went into the side netting and then Chris Silvestro limped off to be replaced by Ricky Patrick. Donaldson then tried an overhead scissors kick which was well off target. Jered Stirling had another free-kick but Gilpin caught it this time.

With just 5 minutes remaining Donaldson flicked the ball to the trialist who'd come on only a few minutes previously but he hit it too high to trouble Fahey. Rovers pushed for a winner in the dying seconds with McManus heading a Stirling cross off-target and then hitting the outside of the net following a Yardley flick.

Deep in injury time Parks lifted the ball high over Fahey towards goal but the 'keeper managed to jump high enough to pluck it from the air.

Connolly of Rovers and Robertson, Donaldson and Livingstone of East Stirling had their names taken by the referee.

Summary

Rovers roller-coaster season continued, the defence was ineffective just 3 days after holding SPL side Hibs to 3 goals. Perhaps the players were tired after their cup exploits but as several are full-time this shouldn't really matter. Manager Kevin McAllister will once more be thinking which players are past their best and need replacing.

Albion Rovers : Fahey, Silvestro (Patrick 72), Stirling, Black, McGowan, McLaren (Connolly 45), McKenzie, McCaul (Crabbe 45), Yardley, McManus, Mercer. Subs Not Used : Selkirk, Peat.

East Stirlingshire : Gilpin, Harvey, McGhee, Oates, MacKay, Moffat (Ross 68), Robertson, Thywisson, Donaldson (Parks 90), Ure (Trialist 82), Livingstone. Subs Not Used : Findley, Mitchell.

Referee : Brian Cassidy

Man of the Match - Jered Stirling

Fixtures/Results/Reports/Pics

Home  Latest  League Table