By The Spider
November 18 2003

Saturday, 15th November, 2003 Stirling Albion 1 Queen's Park 0 (Bells Scottish League – Third Division)

With Richard Sinclair out through injury, John Thomson came in at left wing-back with Stephen Moffat moving to a more central defensive role.

As expected, the League leaders looked the more dangerous side in the opening stages and McLean headed over from six yards out after O'Brien had headed a free kick back across the face of the goal. However, it was the visitors who should have opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Stevie McAuley gambled on Rowe missing a long kick-out from Scrimgour, which he duly did, but the striker was unable to beat Hogarth from close range as the 'keeper made a great two-handed block to push the ball away.

There then began a sustained spell of Stirling pressure where Derek Scrimgour was called into action on numerous occasions. Firstly he made a good low save from a powerful McLean shot before doing likewise with a Davidson effort. Hogarth had to look lively to catch a McAuley curled effort, but Stirling were quickly back down to the other end where McLean fired a low cut-back across Scrimgour's six yard line, but there were no takers.

Scrimgour continued to keep The Binos at bay in the 34th minute when he made another low save from Gibson's direct free kick and, two minutes later, he made an even more impressive stop from a shot on the turn by McLean.

Jonny Whelan nearly surprised Hogarth with a cross from the right touchline which the retreating home 'keeper had to push over his bar at the last second, and then Ross Clark was deservedly booked for a rash late challenge near the edge of his own area. The best chance of the half fell to Stephen Moffat two minutes before the interval when some great movement with Whelan and Agostini saw him lose his marker to meet a corner three yards out but his powerful header went just over the bar.

Neither side made any changes at the interval and again Derek Scrimgour was forced to go to ground quickly in the 47th minute to grab a shot on the turn by Davidson. Four minutes later, a Smith chip beat Scrimgour, but dipped just the wrong side of the bar from his perspective.

Stuart Kettlewell also entered referee Thomson's notebook in the 65th minute when his enthusiasm carried him through to make a late and clumsy challenge.

Damiano Agostini cleared off the line in the 68th minute following a stramash in the Queen's area, and Stephen Moffat did likewise two minutes later after Elliott had broken clear and had gone round Scrimgour. Two lucky escapes for The Spiders!

With just under quarter of an hour remaining, Smith was carted off following a midfield challenge with Clark, which was something of a blow to the home side who had already used three substitutes by this stage. This handed the initiative to Queen's and Jonny Whelan thought that he had beaten Hogarth when he ran clean through onto a McAuley flick with ten minutes remaining, but somehow the 'keeper managed to get a toe to the ball to poke it away at full stretch.

With the game entering the second minute of injury time, it looked as if both sides would share a deserved draw, but suddenly Craig Ferguson found himself on the end of a neat flick behind the Queen's defence and the substitute striker wasted no time in despatching the ball behind the exposed Derek Scrimgour.

Next Saturday the sides get to do it all again, but this time in the Scottish Cup. Stevie Reilly will make a temporary return from suspension and perhaps Frankie Carroll will get a longer run after doing well during his brief appearance.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 3/5

STAR SPIDER :  Derek Scrimgour (again kept us in the game)

QUEEN’S PARK : Derek Scrimgour, Danny Ferry, John Thomson, Stephen Moffat, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Fallon, Ross Clark, Stuart Kettlewell, Ally Graham (Frankie Carroll - 77), Jonny Whelan, Stevie McAuley

Subs (not used) : David Crawford (GK), Paddy Gallagher, David McCallum, Stephen Canning

Scorer(s) : none

Booked : Clark (39 – late challenge), Kettlewell (65 - late challenge)

STIRLING ALBION : Myles Hogarth, Chris Scotland, Paul Hay, Mark McNally, George Rowe, Andrew Smith, Andrew Gibson, Colin McKinnon (Craig Ferguson - 41), Scott McLean, Ryan Davidson (Barry Elliot - 53), David O'Brien (Douglas Wilson - 62)

Subs (not used) : Scott Morrison (G/K), Gary Kelly

Scorer(s) : Ferguson (90)

Booked : none

REFEREE : Craig Thomson ****  (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)