Replay beckons after battling stalemate
“If there’s grass on the pitch, play ball” is a saying that could not be applied to this Scottish Cup third round match. With players struggling to stay on their feet, and even strike the ball at times, the game was killed off as a spectacle due to the playing surface. In what can only be described as a journalist’s nightmare, chances were few and far between with Stirling coming of the back of a superb performance the previous Wednesday.
Continuing with the 4-4-2 formation which is serving them well, there were four, mainly enforced, changes from the previous match; Boyle, Wilson, Betreen and Chapman making way for McLean, Brodie, McCall and Harkness. Stirling began well keeping possession on a boggy pitch and nullifying any threat from the Scotia ranks. The first ten minutes passed without incident, both teams sussing each other out and trying to get used to the surface.
Stirling gained a massive chance to go in front though when they were awarded a penalty. A Barker corner came low at the front post, missing a couple of defenders before striking the arm of a Scotia player. Placing the ball down in thick mud, Barker drove it down the middle but unfortunately over the bar and the chance had gone. The conditions meant none of the Stirling side could fault the young English midfielder, considering his recent record.
With chances at a minimum, Stirling were getting some joy through their fullbacks Brodie and Crawford. Although they managed to get in behind on a few occasions they were unable to stay on their feet in order to get the crucial delivery into the area. The first half played itself out with little incident of note, with the players struggling to make chances and relying on mistakes by the opposition. Quinn, gaining full fitness again after injury, was troubling the Scotia defence and, on two occasions, found Lynch at the back post. Unable to get the ball out his feet, the ball dragging in the mud, the chances were blocked as both teams grew increasingly frustrated.
The second half took a similar approach with end-to-end attacks, but the end product was as rare as a Betreen appearance at training. Stirling were breaking forward at will with Barker not quite finding his range of passing, denied at the last time and again. MacDougall and McCall were feeding off scraps but were performing admirably, McCall in particular showing the form that everyone knows he is capable of.
In an attempt to freshen things up Lynch, having had another committed performance both in attack and defence, was replaced by Colin Jack making his first appearance of the season and offering a physical threat up top, while McCall moved to wide right. With the neutrals in attendance dozing off, there was some controversy to liven up this dreary encounter.
With McLean making the sensible decision to take the booking on a counter, the ball broke kindly to leave a 2 v 1 in Balgonie’s favour. Much to Stirling’s relief, the referee refused to play advantage and brought it back to the fury of a vocal home support. The men in all white, all brown by the end, took this as a warning and began to create chances of their own. Barker having a strike dragged wide and a bobble stopping a trademark McCall strike from troubling the goalkeeper. With one goal-mouth scramble after indecision in the Stirling box the only chance of note in the final 10 minutes, a replay will now take place next Saturday.
With Chapman making it to 21, surprisingly after certain antics over the years, Stirling could not quite find the win to mark the occasion. Both teams will be hoping for a better pitch in order to put their footballing skills, and not just their battling skills, on display. All-in-all Stirling were happy to take a draw from a tough match and they will take heart from knowing they have a great chance of making the 4th round.
Stirling: Harkness, Crawford, Cooper, Mahoney, Brodie, Lynch (Jack), Barker, McLean, Quinn, McCall, MacDougall Subs: Chapman, Wells, Bews, Craig
Man of the Match: Jono Cooper
No comments:
Post a Comment