After a morale-boosting win the previous week, the 3rd team came into this match full of confidence. With squads finally decided the team could begin to settle down and set the standard for the season. The squad has been boosted by the arrival of freshers Ryan Lynch, Ryan Quinn, Charles and Ethan Bews to subset the loss of previous years players. On first impressions they have shown the quality to fit straight into the side and keep the high standards set from the previous season.
The Scottish cup provides a firm test for every side and this first round tie proved no different. Manager Tommy Craig put out a strong side which included a few last minute tactical changes due to the inclusion of scholar Abraham Keller. The pre-planned 4-5-1 formation was altered to a more offensive 4-4-2, and the benefits became clear from the very beginning of the game. Good possesion football throughout the side was aided by some brillant hold-up play from strikers Keller and Betreen. Stirling did, at times, look for the forward ball too often resulting in possesion not being retained effectively enough. However they had the better of the first 20 minutes and were unlucky not to go ahead.
Stirling were spraying the ball from side-to-side well through centre-mid pairing Will Barker and Steven Clark and were enjoying sucess down either flank through freshers Lynch and Quinn. Hearts of Beith were struglling to contain the passing ability of the Stirling side and, while they had a couple of half chances themselves well saved by Harkness, the Stirling pressure eventually paid off. The ball broke out wide to Quinn who took a touch and played in Betreen who struck a delightful precision shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner for his first goal of the season. Not long after they were nearly two ahead when a driving run from full-back Crawford, beating three players in the process ended in the goalkeeper tipping the ball wide. While Stirling pressed for the rest of the half they couldn't make their dominance turn into another goal to make themselves more comfortable.
After the half-time break Stirling continued where they left off, with the introdution of Jamie Mclean for the injured Barker adding some steel to the centre of the park. Stirling were passing well and the attacking prowess of Keller was causing the opposition backline a great deal of problems. Keller managed to keep his head under some poor challenges and was providing a great outlet for his strike partner Betreen. Hearts of Beith were beginning to threaten the Stirling goal but were spurned time and again by the combination of Harkness, Cooper and Mahoney. Harkness produced a good double save in the tricky conditions to keep Stirling's one-goal lead and the Stirling defence were holding firm to deny any further chance for the opposition. Stirling were then rewarded for their impressive display with a second goal. A seemingly harmless free-kick from wide out on the left was all set up for the cross, however Keller had other ideas. A wonderful shot was going over until the final second when it viciously dipped under the bar to give Stirling a crucial cushion going into the final ten minutes.
Stirling had to deal with some sustained pressure in the final period of the game but were holding firm against the aerial advances of Beith and performing well on the counter, holding possesion well. Substitutes Matty McLaughlin and Mikey MacDougall ran down the clock to great effect, not conceding the ball and providing a great outlet in the final minutes. However things were complicated through a piece of individual brillance from the opposition central midfielder. The ball was squared from a free kick and the ball wasnt pressed quickly enough. A fine left-foot effort was pinged into the top corner leaving Harkness helpless. The final few minutes were seen out well though by the Stirling side and progression was secured into the next round.
While Stirling would like to have scored a few more and turned their dominace into a more comfortble scoreline, they will be pleased at the standard of their play and progression into the second round. A 100% start to the season has been continued and a lot of confidence can be taken from the performances so far and the strength in depth that the squads seems to have.
Stirling: Harkness, Crawford, Cooper, Mahoney, Brodie, Lynch, Clark, Barker (McLean), Quinn (McLaughlin), Betreen (MacDougall), Keller Subs: Chapman, Bews, Charles
Referee's (debatable) MOM: Crawford
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