Albion Rovers 2 v 0 Stirling Albion 
Division 3
16th February 2002
Albion Rovers 2 v 0 Stirling Albion
Division 3
16th February 2002
Attendance : 420
Scorers ~ Albion Rovers : Diack (19), McKenna (38)
Joint third in the divisional table and bang on course to take the second promotion spot. That’s what this splendid win means for Rovers - and it’s thoroughly merited. Decimated by an injury list which would keep a cottage hospital in patients for months, Rovers dug deep into their reserves of character and put up a showing which had Stirling Albion reeling and confined them to just a single shot on target during the whole ninety minutes. Seldom will Scott Shearer have an easier afternoon.
There was not a single failure in a yellow jersey, with every player concentrating not only on his own game but also more than willing to help out a colleague should the circumstances require them to do so. The team spirit was absolutely excellent and the three valuable points were ample reward for a top-class performance.
There was a fright for Rovers in the first minute when Stephen Cosgrove - on loan to the Binos from Motherwell - burst forward and shot, but the ball raced across the face of the goal without making contact with a foot, friendly or otherwise. Having survived that scare, Rovers then turned on the style and the visiting defence was in disarray on more than one occasion as the eager and free-running Charlie McLean and Iain Diack tormented them. A sixth minute drive by home captain Steve Hamilton forced Stirling’s Chris Reid into a splendid save, then a Diack shot was saved low down by the ‘keeper.
With 19 minutes on the clock, the home supporters raised the roof to acclaim a goal which came somewhat out of the blue. The tricky McLean, out on the right, made space for himself and tried to lob the ball over Reid. The try was just too far off target but the ball reached a spot beyond the back post where Iain Diack somehow managed to control it and put it past Reid from a very narrow angle. Rovers continued to control matters and after McLean mishit another attempt straight at Reid and Mark Booth took a knock in a clash with the ‘keeper, the bold Charlie did it once more! Again on the right, his cross into the middle was just a wee bit too long, but Gerry McKenna somehow managed to turn it back and in at the near post where a valiant effort by Reid only succeeded in knocking it further over the line. Then Robert Coulter headed a Jamie McKenzie cross over the crossbar, and the interval whistle must have been a welcome sound the Stirling squad.
Although the second half proved to be scoreless, Rovers still had the lion’s share of the ball - especially in the danger areas - and apart from an occasional foray towards Shearer, much of the action took place in front of Reid. Just after the hour, McKenzie looked certain to score but watched as his two strong shots were blocked by the goalkeeper. Following this, Stirling’s Stewart Devine and David Ross were booked, as was Rovers’ Robert Coulter. Almost on the final whistle, Stirling had arguably their best chance of the match, but Brendan Crozier’s fine drive skimmed the top of Shearer’s crossbar on the way over.
There were no failures in the yellow-jerseyed home side, with their all-action afternoon just edging Charlie McLean and Iain Diack into nomination as Men of the Match.
Albion Rovers : Shearer, Smith, R Coulter, Hamilton, Easton, Booth, Waldie, McKenzie, McLean, Diack (Carr 87), McKenna. Unused Subs : Struthers, Rankin, Tait, Fahey.
Stirling Albion : Reid, Hay, Devine, Reilly, Brannigan, Cosgrove, Nugent (Stuart 46), Crozier, Ross, Higgins, McCallion. Unused Subs : Kearney, Geraghty, Heighton.
Referee : Andrew Hunter
Men of the Match : Charlie McLean (left) and Iain Diack (right)
