Dumbarton vs Stirling, Stirling vs Dumbarton

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

5 hours ago, dave_binos said:

Nice wee stream you've got guys. Had my doubts when there was no commentary and the camera was focused on the ball boy doing a few keepie uppies. 

Felt like it was a pretty even game. Dumbarton started off well and it looked like a free header. After we got our goal, it seemed to give us a little bit of confidence. Game turned into a bit of a physical battle in the second half and was a clear penalty. 

Awful pitch tonight and noticed Mark Weir's six yard box being blasted with water before kick off - fair play 

Roll on Saturday. We are a capable side in patches and are still in this tie. It's just a very hard watch at times. 

 

That wasn’t a ball boy, that was a ball man! I’ve no idea where the usual wee guys were, we must have drafted in the u20s or something.

As for the game, I was actually a bit disappointed in how we went about our business after the Stirling goal. We didn’t play with anywhere near the same intensity and confidence. 

Do every team who lose a game have to console themselves by claiming it was a game involving “two poor sides?”. I thought it looked like two decent enough teams, slogging it out on a coo field of a pitch in a high stakes match and I think this coming Saturday will be a very nervy affair. This is far from over.

[#GSC]

7 hours ago, SA45 said:

Not quite sure but a fair number who started tonight and some who didn't were in the local nightclub til yon time (my friend works there). It was probably pre-planned as a celebration party for finishing 8th but after finishing 9th just went ahead with it anyway. Half the team still looked drunk IMO but not sure what the excuses could have been for previous weeks performances.

Heard that too , out of order I mean how dare these guys that work two jobs, some using all their holidays to make games, who after income tax and Nat insurance and fuel cost are literally playing for nothing, have a night out at Ross McGeachies’s surprise 30th, absolutely disgusting of them 

[The Moonster]

12 minutes ago, #GSC said:

 who after income tax and Nat insurance and fuel cost are literally playing for nothing

Won't somebody think of the footballers!

[Sweet Pete]

Chuffed with that result. Was murder trying to follow from abroad as the family evening plans schedule and the game had significant overlap. Confident we'll do the business on Saturday and I'll be back for the second leg of the final to see us promoted.

[SA45]

1 hour ago, #GSC said:

Heard that too , out of order I mean how dare these guys that work two jobs, some using all their holidays to make games, who after income tax and Nat insurance and fuel cost are literally playing for nothing, have a night out at Ross McGeachies’s surprise 30th, absolutely disgusting of them 

I see your point but If I was going to those lengths to play football I'd maybe take it easy a few days before an important game and try and be in the best condition I could, not knocking back shots til 3am. Why not just a few pints after the match? Leitch quite the dancer apparently though and has never moved so fast. McGeachie's performance last night was shocking but at least he had a good night out.

[Higgenarse]

Stirling better waken up or they will be relegated 

[Francesc Fabregas]

That wasn't the best game of football I've been to this season but it was entertaining enough in parts. I thought Dumbarton started the match really well and had Stirling Albion on the back foot, especially down the right flank where Carlo Pignatiello and Kalvin Orsi linked up very well, and it was no surprise to see the pair combining to set up Jinky Hilton with a nice header. At that point, fancied them to score a couple more but the Binos' equaliser really caught them cold. I appreciate there might have been a handball in the build up (Cammy Clark did seem to cushion it into his thigh with his arm) but that was at the halfway line, and there were plenty of opportunities to snuff out the attack before Dale Hilson finished. Could Jay Hogarth have done better? He seemed to be caught out when the ball went in at his near post.

From then on, and well into the second half, the game was a little flat, with two similarly matches sides going at it, and it felt like it would peter out as a stalemate. I couldn't quite see what happened at the penalty but given the half-hearted appeals from the opposition, it was a correct call, and Tony Wallace stuck it away. The match suddenly sprung into life in the final minutes, with both sides creating openings, but nothing significant happened thereafter.

I've said it before but Dumbarton are probably the best opposition side I've seen in League 2 this season and I fancy them to squeeze through and win promotion. Mark Durnan played well, Ciaran Newbury had a solid game and although it didn't always come off for him, Michael Ruth is a smashing forward. Stirling, meanwhile, look like a shadow of the team from 12 months ago; I suppose an underwhelming season will take its toll, especially on the likes of Dale Carrick, who didn't contribute much here. Although they're an enthusiastic bunch, there's a lack of creative spark and I think that might cost them in the second leg.

I couldn't get a phone signal at the Rock, so I couldn't check the updates from the other games, WhatsApp my friends or scroll through social media during the quieter moments, so all I could do was focus on the match here. I was nice - too often, you miss something when you're staring at your screen, so it was great just to take in what was being played out in front of me.

[WHW]

Really don’t understand how you lot have struggled so much this season. When my team (Falkirk) played you at Forthbank, you gave us two of our toughest games of the season. Was really surprised to see you finished 9th based off of that, however I still think you’ll come back on Saturday and probably win the final.

[unitedbino]

10 minutes ago, WHW said:

Really don’t understand how you lot have struggled so much this season. When my team (Falkirk) played you at Forthbank, you gave us two of our toughest games of the season.

This has been the paradox of our season. Yes, we got cuffed a couple times (away to Falkirk and Hamilton), but by and large we've been competitive in every match. You couldn't argue that we've been out of our depth. And yet we just didn't do enough to grind out results. Not enough goals in the team and too many defensive mistakes, particularly towards the end.

[AlbionMan]

48 minutes ago, unitedbino said:

This has been the paradox of our season. Yes, we got cuffed a couple times (away to Falkirk and Hamilton), but by and large we've been competitive in every match. You couldn't argue that we've been out of our depth. And yet we just didn't do enough to grind out results. Not enough goals in the team and too many defensive mistakes, particularly towards the end.

There has been a mental fragility around the side this season, as if they no longer believe in themselves. Unable to see out games, worst in the league converting chances, brain farts defensively it has been extremely frustrating to follow. 

[WC Boggs]

Ok enough. I have exclusively obtained video footage exclusively of the said Saturday night fever with Jack.  You can clearly see he is carrying an injury and likely sustains a further injury to his lips near the end.

 

 

[WHW]

1 hour ago, unitedbino said:

This has been the paradox of our season. Yes, we got cuffed a couple times (away to Falkirk and Hamilton), but by and large we've been competitive in every match. You couldn't argue that we've been out of our depth. And yet we just didn't do enough to grind out results. Not enough goals in the team and too many defensive mistakes, particularly towards the end.

After your brilliant League Cup campaign and start to the league season I thought you’d be challenging for the right playoffs. Can only comment on what I’ve seen which is a really competitive game in the two matches at Forthbank and two very one sided games at TFS, though I don’t think that was down to a lack of commitment, just being outclassed by a very good side. Anyway all the best on Saturday.

[May Rckinnon]

#FazIn

[StewartyMac]

Terrible last night but what annoyed me more than anything else is how we just reverted to fouling everything that moved. I've been an Albion fan for over 40 years, and throughout all the highs and the (many) lows, we've never been a dirty team in all that time. Utterly shameful. 

We're still in with a chance but it means somehow scoring more than one goal*, which, Edinburgh aside, has been beyond us for much of the latter part of the season. When I think back to the day we skelped Kelty 5-0 at Forthbank, it's criminal where we've ended up. DY needs to take a long hard look at himself. Far too loyal to the team that won promotion, and not upgrading the back four, who lets be honest were slow enough in L2, has cost us along with the lack of goals. 

 

*yes, I know we could win 1-0 and it go to penalties, but I don't see us actually scoring any of the penalties. 

[Jan Vojáček]

I really enjoyed last night. Aside from the first 20 minutes when we were playing some really excellent stuff, it was more blood and thunder than free-flowing sexy football. But it was too very well matched sides, with next to nothing between them who left everything out there. And I thought we probably just shaded it.

The big thing I said I wanted, was for us to do ourselves justice. And after about 10 minutes I was pretty confident, regardless of the outcome, that we'd do that. In the previous two seasons we've either frozen in the big games or just not looked all that up for it. But that wasn't the case last night.

It's such a cliche, but we looked like the team who wanted it more early on. And we looked like the team enjoying themselves. Playing with a bit of confidence and freedom.

Carlo and Kalvin down the right were taking the piss out of Cammy Clark for the entire first-half, and I was really surprised he wasn't hauled off at half-time, with Callum Crane moving to LB and someone else coming on in midfield. Fair play to Clark, he recovered a bit in the second-half. Albeit Kalvin had spent the night being booted into the air and was blowing after about 50 minutes. There was one especially crude challenge he found himself on the end of that saw Faz booked for his complaints, and Kalvin show everyone near him a big mark high on his leg. A bizarre decision not to give that one.

Our goal was an excellent move. And exactly the sort of thing we should be doing more often (e.g cross the ball Kalvin and Carlo instead of trying to beat a man 14 times). Josh McPake looked very impressive going forward, but didn't like the other side of the game. Allowing Carlo and Kalvin an overlap, and somehow Jinky Hilton was given a free header six yards out. Despite being about 5 foot 7. He finished it well.

At that stage I was really fancying us to go on and get a second. Stirling didn't look a threat and looked absolutely hopeless at full-back.

But goals change games. And out of nothing (was it a handball? Who knows. It hit Cammy Clark's arm, but I'm at a loss at to what the rules are) Dale Hilson zipped in an equaliser. You maybe look at Jay Hogarth (who I thought had a very assured game otherwise) getting beaten at his near post, but it looked a sharp finish. And we were guilty of switching off to complain about the handball rather than just defending properly.

That really sparked the Binos into life. And for about 10/15 minutes after the goal they were on top. You can see exactly what their fans mean when they are left frustrated by their forward efforts. It felt like they were threatening for a good spell. But I'm not sure Jay had a save to make in that time. There was a lot of the ball in good areas, but very little at the end of it.

We finished the half strongly and looked to have weathered that storm.

The second-half was more of a battle. Tackles were hammering in and I thought that the referee was playing a risky game because it looked like someone was about to get booted into outer space and injured as players got away with more and more. Then he started showering Stirling players with cards. Like someone flicked a switch, and suddenly every foul was A) Being given and B) Resulting in a booking.

I was surprised when Div Wilson replaced Jinky. Mainly because Kalvin looked to be blowing big time and had a limited impact in the second-half. Despite still being a threat.

By the time Orsi was hooked for James Graham I thought we'd be looking at a draw. But what a cameo wee James made. He was the perfect sub at the perfect time. His first few touches saw him burst beyond a really sluggish looking Binos defence, find David Wilson and in slid Paul McLean to concede the matchwinning penalty.

Graham then twice used his blistering pace to get in behind, and (especially with McLean off injured) the BInos just did not look able to cope with his speed. Finlay Gray missed a good chance, Michael Ruth missed a good chance and we made an arse of a two-on-one counter attack by floating the ball right to the solitary red shirt.

Those came because Stirling absolutely went for it. Which I wasn't expecting. A 2-1 first leg defeat isn't the worst result going, but they committed bodies forward - Jay Hogarth made a really good point-blank range save and they had an effort eventually cleared off the line after McPake had danced through a lot of challenges in a congested box.

I think Saturday's game is going to be a nerve-shredder. There's nothing between the teams based on last night and both sides approach will be fascinating. I think we can get at the Binos if we're brave enough. And if Paul McLean is out then that's a big blow for them, he looked the man holding together a very creaky backline. Likewise though, a better pitch will allow McPake and Carrick to do more of what they're good at. Albeit I think it will help us too - as we've shown on the road this season.

But I'm excited for it. And that's the position I wanted to be in at this stage, after two seasons of damp squib second legs.

[Jordo1872]

15 hours ago, The Moonster said:

Turncoat. At least we know that if a ref falls ill we can keep calling on @Jordo1872 instead of you. 

I'm afraid I'm backing up my pal @pleslie99 here. I wouldn't be giving that as a handball either as the player made a genuine attempt to play the ball and the deflection was entirely accidental. That said, the handball law in general is an absolute shambles and wide open to 101 interpretations.

I thought overall we warranted the win last night, being the better team for the majority of the game bar a short spell after the equaliser when Stirling had the momentum. Thought we looked pretty solid at the back with Stirling not threatening much. Still all to play for but if I'd been offered a narrow lead at the half way point in the tie pre-kick off I'd have taken that all day.

Looking forward to what should be a good day out (here's hoping!) at Forthbank on Saturday. Hopefully Orsi makes it after taking what looked like a sore one, which was one the ref should have dealt with differently.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

The tie is very finely balanced and to be honest I'm a bit surprised at the negativity of some Binos fans.  However, with Annan a spec in the rear-view mirror for a long time and them then overtaking on the last day must be a sore one.

Saturday will see a better, wider playing surface and whilst that will benefit Stirling it should help us too as our midden is affecting everyone.  Whilst one man doesn't make a team, based on last night's injuries I think the Binos would likely miss Brian McLean more than we would Kalvin Orsi.  A case of wait and see on both.

The cliché about the first goal could really apply here.  Stirling need to avoid overloading in pursuit of a goal and we need to avoid becoming camped in our own half.  Here's hoping for a decent crowd and a good atmosphere - Forthbank is a good ground to visit.

[StewartyMac]

28 minutes ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

I'm a bit surprised at the negativity of some Binos fans

It's because we are utter pish. 

Hope this helps. 

[WattersIsGod]

McPake is a lot better going forward than defensively.  i'm not saying Cammy Clark is the world's greatest fullback but he isn't getting a great deal of help. the midfield hasn't been an area of strength this season either. i don't feel we've ever really found the right combination. last season generally seemed to be a simpler 4-4-2 where the wingers knew their jobs. we seem to be playing more of a 4-2-3-1 lately which in theory should help with the extra midfielder but there just seems to be more confusion about who is picking up who, particularly out wide. 

If Crane moved to left back then i think the only real replacement on the bench was Lewis Milne who can't press or tackle so would just have made the midfield even more porous. 

the painfully slow back four was always going to be a problem this season.

I don't think Carrick is fully fit either. i've never seen so many poor touches from him as in the last 2 games. 

Edited May 8 by WattersIsGod

[unitedbino]

16 minutes ago, WattersIsGod said:

I've never seen so many poor touches from him as in the last 2 games. 

He's been really poor, but we don't exactly give him a lot of service. He has to work with basically nothing. But yes - he's been sloppy.