Stirling v Annan

[BB_Bino]

Yip, January and February time, I thought we were pretty safe and was happy that we were on course for finishing 7th or 8th, but since then, we’ve simply gone one way and we deserve to finish in the Play Off spot and today was another example of why.

There’s no faulting this squad for effort, despite what the regular behind me says, the lads are trying and give us bags of effort, but the actual quality of creating and taking chances, it’s been our downfall and has cost us.

That saying, Annan have Greig Fleming to thank with two wonderful reaction saves in the Second Half. He’s been an excellent Goalkeeper over the years, and on those occasions he’s kept Annan in the league.

I thought today was incredibly frustrating, Annan had a game plan to frustrate and as much as you hate to see it, they executed it perfectly and achieved the goal, The Ref did nothing to stop them, so they continued. 

We started poorly and the Annan goal was a lovely finish but again, poor defending cost us. After that we huffed and puffed but like has been said above, only McPake really makes anything happen, and again, it’s frustrating.

I actually thought Leitch had one of his better game, and in the Second Half Hilson stepped up to the plate and started driving at the Annan Defence, but sadly for us, they didn’t have the ability to create. Hilson has scored 1 goal all season and you can see why when the ball dropped to him 7 or 8 yards out and he squared the ball when it was easier to smash the shot. It’s that decision making that cost us (again).

So it’s onto the Play Offs, more about that another day, but for now, well done on your survival Annan, your form has been unbelievable over the last few months. The league table never lies, well done!!

[SA45]

2 minutes ago, BB_Bino said:

Yip, January and February time, I thought we were pretty safe and was happy that we were on course for finishing 7th or 8th, but since then, we’ve simply gone one way and we deserve to finish in the Play Off spot and today was another example of why.

Giving DY a new contact for being in 8th in January was a bizarre decision (that backfired IMO). Was it to get the social media "likes" up for the month. I'm waiting for the predictable attack on a few young fans by the club instead of focusing on clear management issues (throughout the club) and structure with what's happening on the pitch.

Straight up the tunnel today whether that was to do with the Annan hordes on the pitch though but thanks for your support, eh?

[WC Boggs]

1 hour ago, AlbionMan said:

A senior moment there Hugh, Forthbank was laid as a grass pitch when we moved in and was relaid about 6/7 years ago. The pitch behind the north goal has always been Astro and of course Annfield was Astro when we left.

Fair enough, far from the first time my memory has let me down. I remembered a cup tie at Brockville when Rangers refused to play on a plastic surface. I thought it was more recent than that but clearly wasn't. Senior moment indeed.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

3 hours ago, annanbear said:

Thought Stirling were probably the better side today but only slightly. Neither team created very much just us less so.  Let's be honest we deserve staying up with our recent form, can't wait for next season already.

You'll be hoping for the double with your big team playing tomorrow.

[Moorie]

Down today in the hospitality which definitely one best I’ve been too.

Just felt Stirling had a bit more edge but lacked of final ball let them down. Thought were going to snatch it at the end.

Annan had their game plan and it worked. Especially the early goal set them up.

best £5 spent today was getting to pick the man of the match and getting the signed ball that did make it back to Aberdeen in one piece and cause a few strange looks and questions in Stirling and Aberdeen train Stations. If the photo makes the socials I’m only smiling because it’s something I will probably never do again.

 

Good luck in the playoffs and definitely make another trip down in the future 

[AlbionMan]

12 minutes ago, WC Boggs said:

Fair enough, far from the first time my memory has let me down. I remembered a cup tie at Brockville when Rangers refused to play on a plastic surface. I thought it was more recent than that but clearly wasn't. Senior moment indeed.

That was in our Annfield days 1987/88 in the League Cup, lost 2-1.

[WattersIsGod]

League 2 squad struggle to compete in league one.

No shock really.

We needed improvement across the squad. We didn't get it.

Here we are....

Let's hope the boys can raise themselves for 4 more games.

[McGuigan1978]

Headed along to this today and really enjoyed it. 

Thought the game very much started in terms of how both teams have went into this game, with Annan looking the far better side. 

Tommy Goss, Benjamin Luissint and Aidan Smith all looked far too good for Stirling to handle, but after Annan passed up some presentable opportunities,  the Binos started to get a bit of a foothold in the game. 

Greig Spence coming on at the interval and being subbed off again late in the half was unusual, but regardless, I never really felt Albion had enough to get the win they required. 

Ultimately though, I felt Annan just about done enough to hold on, and fair play to the pitch invasion at full time. 

Out of interest, is that Stirling Albion "young team"  I walked through at full time, the same one that's been spoken about negatively this campaign? 

A group of 20 odd pre-teens to 16-year-olds, with one wasted 20-year old in a Rangers strip, spoiling for a fight holding a bottle of Buckfast, while a guy in his 40's suggested what direction they should go? 

The young guys you can kind of forgive for just wanting a sense of belonging, the older guy and the Rangers fan? Deary me, pathetic. 

[WC Boggs]

21 minutes ago, BB_Bino said:

Yip, January and February time, I thought we were pretty safe and was happy that we were on course for finishing 7th or 8th, but since then, we’ve simply gone one way and we deserve to finish in the Play Off spot and today was another example of why.

There’s no faulting this squad for effort, despite what the regular behind me says, the lads are trying and give us bags of effort, but the actual quality of creating and taking chances, it’s been our downfall and has cost us.

That saying, Annan have Greig Fleming to thank with two wonderful reaction saves in the Second Half. He’s been an excellent Goalkeeper over the years, and on those occasions he’s kept Annan in the league.

I thought today was incredibly frustrating, Annan had a game plan to frustrate and as much as you hate to see it, they executed it perfectly and achieved the goal, The Ref did nothing to stop them, so they continued. 

We started poorly and the Annan goal was a lovely finish but again, poor defending cost us. After that we huffed and puffed but like has been said above, only McPake really makes anything happen, and again, it’s frustrating.

I actually thought Leitch had one of his better game, and in the Second Half Hilson stepped up to the plate and started driving at the Annan Defence, but sadly for us, they didn’t have the ability to create. Hilson has scored 1 goal all season and you can see why when the ball dropped to him 7 or 8 yards out and he squared the ball when it was easier to smash the shot. It’s that decision making that cost us (again).

So it’s onto the Play Offs, more about that another day, but for now, well done on your survival Annan, your form has been unbelievable over the last few months. The league table never lies, well done!!

You've said most of what I would have BB, so I'll just add something rare for me.  I wasn't impressed by Darren's contribution today.  It often looked more like professional wrestling than football out there and Annan did more extended dying scenes than a William Topaz McGonigle performance of Hamlet. Our set up looked unbalanced from the kick off though.  Carrick on his own and isolated again front centre. It hasn't worked, it still didn't and I don't understand it in a winner takes all match.  

We did nothing at all down the right and with Hilson not having much pace that wasn't a surprise.  Absolutely nothing in the way of change until it was far too late and I didn't think much of that. 

I'm not after Darren's head.  Let me make that clear, but I thought he got it wrong today and  we could do without shooting ourselves in the foot from the dugout.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

Best of luck in the play offs Stirling.

[AlbionMan]

1 minute ago, Fae_the_'briggs said:

Best of luck in the play offs Stirling.

I think we’ll need that, throughout the season we’ve been unable to scrape out results when it mattered and trying to get it done four games in a row is asking a lot of this group of players.

[SA45]

16 minutes ago, McGuigan1978 said:

Greig Spence coming on at the interval and being subbed off again late in the half was unusual, but regardless, I never really felt Albion had enough to get the win they required.

Spence only came on in the last 10 mins if I recall and no one was subbed off again. There were flares going off where I was but don't think that happened. Agree with your last sentence though.

[Hughsie]

Well done Annan.

Stirling gone. No chance they’re getting through those play-offs. 

[WattersIsGod]

It's like a microcosm of the season really.

Play better than the opposition at home and only come away with the draw

With our away form being abysmal we had to turn those opportunities into 3 points and we falied too many times to do so.

 

[tamthebam]

5 hours ago, miketheheadlesschicken said:

Stirling had enough chances to win the game. Only got themselves to blame. Annan are a brutal watch. Diving, play acting, time wasting and had a ref who let them get away with it. They were like Gretna but without the money.

There's actually a lot of teams like this in League 1 (except for City, we're too young, crap and stupid and unliked by refs to get away with it!) but I would say Annan are a particularly hard watch. Which is why I like watching East of Scotland League Football- players feigning injury etc tend to get a kick up the arse! 

On the other hand I don't mind Annan as a club and well done to them for staying up. No particular axes to grind re the play-offs* so good luck Stirling, even if your keeper is a walloper.  

 

 

*mutter.. pity if Spartans bottled it... mutter...

[dave_binos]

Well done Annan. A brilliant final quarter and you fully deserve to stay in League 1. You have a bit of quality in certain areas and the time wasting, players feigning injury, kicking the ball away is exactly what needed to be done to kill any sort of momentum we were trying to build. Well done on bringing a decent following as well. Hope you enjoyed your night. 

Watching the warm-up yesterday with the players shooting, I had a feeling it wouldn't be our day. Watched 17 shots with only Banner, McPake and Carrick scoring. Not great. We do have some quality but conceding silly goals and not scoring enough has been our downfall. We had chances yesterday but when Carrick isn't on it, we only really have McPake. It doesn't help when Offord and Cooper are on the bench and only giving them 10-15 mins game time. Cooper only starting 2 games since his hat-trick is mind boggling. I hope if/when he's released, he gets a contract at League 1 level and flourishes. 

Onto Tuesday and a very tough game. I hope the players are motivated and ready to go. We are not down yet but you'd fancy all momentum to be with the play-off sides in League 2. 

[Fifes Elite Force]

Entertaining enough game yesterday albeit Annan with the early goal gave them motivation to sit in and time waste a bit especially second half(not a critism all teams do it in the same situation). The ref was a bit too whistle happy as well in the second half for me too. Overal though stirling just didnt produce enough quality in front of goal.

Edited May 5 by Fifes Elite Force

[Hauftimedraw]

That was absolute torture to watch as an Annan fan. If its possible to score too early we definitely did. After the Benji goal it was the footballing equivalent of watching Zula and the Alamo with wave after wave of Stirling attacks being repelled. Huge credit to Greg Fleming,  without doubt MotM with a Gordon Banks type display. Annan did play better second half and thought Ndiwene had his best game,  though probably his last for Annan. 

Was thinking through out the second half that one mistake,  slip., missed pass could undo the whole season . Delighted to hear the final whistle and see the young uns scamper across the pitch just like last year's Clyde final.

Good luck to Stirling this week. Simply a case of getting your heads back up and you'll be fine. Always welcome at Galabank...apart from the guitar man!

[Binos]

17 hours ago, Hauftimedraw said:

That was absolute torture to watch as an Annan fan. If its possible to score too early we definitely did. After the Benji goal it was the footballing equivalent of watching Zula and the Alamo with wave after wave of Stirling attacks being repelled. Huge credit to Greg Fleming,  without doubt MotM with a Gordon Banks type display. Annan did play better second half and thought Ndiwene had his best game,  though probably his last for Annan. 

Was thinking through out the second half that one mistake,  slip., missed pass could undo the whole season . Delighted to hear the final whistle and see the young uns scamper across the pitch just like last year's Clyde final.

Good luck to Stirling this week. Simply a case of getting your heads back up and you'll be fine. Always welcome at Galabank...apart from the guitar man!

I have never seen a lower leagues side cheat the way you do

Was one of the redeeming features of this level,  the lack of diving,  time wasting,  feigning injury and general cheating 

[19QOS19]

1 hour ago, Binos said:

I have never seen a lower leagues side cheat the way you do

Was one of the redeeming features of this level,  the lack of diving,  time wasting,  feigning injury and general cheating 

You remember you have Dale Carrick and Dale Hilson in your side aye? Did you have your eyes sand when they were doing the things you mentioned?