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Stranraer 3 v 1 Albion Rovers |  |
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Stranraer 3 v 1 Albion Rovers | |
| Irn-Bru League Third Division 26th December 2007 |
Attendance : 322
Scorers ~ Stranraer : Mullen (25), Nicoll (85), Mitchell (88). Albion Rovers : Wright (71).
A long trip on Boxing day this was not very welcome for either set of players (even the home side run a bus for their players from the west of Scotland) or the small band of Rovers loyal fans.
The game started very quietly indeed and nothing much happened until 21 minutes when Michael Mullen spun on the spot and fired a low and hard shot which David Scott stopped but failed to hold. Former Rover Stevie Bonar poked the loose ball towards the goal but the, by now prostrate Scott stopped the ball on the line.
Barry Donald set up Iain Chisholm to have a go but another former Rover, Neil McGowan blocked the attempt. In 25 minutes Stranraer took the lead when their top scorer Mullen received the ball at the edge of the Rovers area ran in and struck it low into the net.
A Callan Adam effort from 30 yards was too high to trouble anyone then a high ball into the Stranraer box resulted in a weak Chisholm header to 'keeper Scott Black.
Roddy Hunter initiated a good move when he crossed to Alan Reid at the halfway line. Reid ran up the wing and put in a low ball for Adam but it was marginally too strong and the move came to nothing.
An inswinging Stranraer corner into Rovers crowded six-yard box saw the ball stopped on the line and cleared.
Half-Time
A high ball from the wing was met by the head of Frenchman Grégory Tadé but Scott wasn't troubled by it. Hunter did well creating a move which Adam crossed and Kenny Wright narrowly failed to connect with in the homesters box.
Another Rovers attack soonafter involved many men in Red, Wright crossed the ball into the box and Hunter challenged the 'keeper who managed to pluck the ball out of the strikers path.
In 62 minutes yet another former Cliftonhill man Kevin Nicoll came off the bench which was to prove important later on. Rovers levelled the score in 71 minutes when an excellent run and pinpoint cross by Pat Walker gave former Stairs park player Kenny Wright a relatively easy tap-in as several defenders arrived a split second late.
Home player John Kane was sent off in 73 minutes for stamping on Pat Walker. Next Jamie McKenzie replaced Barry Donald and John McStay came on for Richard Buckley.
With five minutes remaining a long ball by Mullen found Nicoll in space on the nearside, Scott advanced but he slipped the ball to the 'keepers right and into the goal.
In 88 minutes the final nail in the coffin when Danny Mitchell lobbed Scott as the defence looked on helplessly. On the 90 minute mark Rovers were in the Stranraer box but a mistake almost led to a goal for the homesters when they broke away and Scott stopped a Tadé shot.
In injury time McKenzie received a booking for tussling with a Stranraer player on the ground.
Summary
A late collapse again by Rovers who seem to find it difficult to play against 10 men.
Stranraer : Black, Mitchell, White, Kane, McGowan, McLaughlin, Tadé, Bonar, Mullen (McKinstry 88), Stewart (Cashmore 89), Gibson (Nicoll 62). Subs Not Used : Thomas, Ferguson.
Albion Rovers : Scott, Buckley (McStay 80), Reid, Robert Walker, Benton, Donald (McKenzie 74), Patrick Walker, Chisholm (Watson 90), Hunter, Adam, Wright. Subs Not Used : Martin, Mitchell.
Referee : Anthony Law
