Zetland 1 Stirling 5

Commanding victory leaves students 2 points from the title

Having won the previous encounter at home 1-0 with a last minute winner, the students were expecting a tough challenge in the return fixture. However Stirling blew their opposition away within half an hour to put them closer to securing the league title with a game to spare.

From the first whistle Stirling were on top as they looked to impose themselves on the game. Jamie McLean had come in for Ryan Lynch, on the right hand side, with Lynch still recovering from a midweek knock. McLean was heavily involved early on, driving at the defence and setting up Ryan Quinn who wastefully lobbed over the bar.



Influential early on.



McLean then had the chance to score himself as, after great build up play had released Quinn in behind and his shot was blocked, McLean strolled onto the ball 6 yards out but his shot was cleared off the line by the covering defender.

Zetland were playing an astonishingly high line which was to be their downfall throughout the first half, and ultimately led to the opening goal. Reaching a McLean through ball on the by-line Betreen took his time and squeezed the ball past the keeper into the bottom left hand corner which has become somewhat of a trademark for Betreen over his four years at university.

Stirling wasted little time in adding another as yet another through ball caught out the defence and McLean found himself through on goal. Taking the sensible option he squared for Quinn to have the simple task of knocking the ball home and unleashing the infamous lizard’s tongue.

Zetland were in disarray at how to handle the away side as they continued to pour forward in search of more goals. They found a third and it was that man Betreen again who sealed the game after only twenty minutes of play. Slipped in brilliantly in behind by Will Barker, Betreen took the ball on and surprised the goalkeeper by hitting an early strike that whistled into the near post top corner for his 21^st of the season.

MoM in great form.

Betreen was again at the centre of things moment later when Zetland were awarded a highly debatable red card. Having driven down the right-hand touchline brilliantly away from the defence, he was caught late after a cross but it was a surprise to everyone when the referee went for is back rather than front pocket. It was a lunging tackle but an early bath was unfortunate and killed any Zetland thoughts of a comeback.

Betreen almost got the illusive hat-trick he has been searching for all his uni career when a left foot scorcher rattled the bar and was cleared away to safety.

Any comeback hopes were further dented by a fourth goal of the game, coming from the in-form Matty McLaughlin. Betreen played in Quinn, who was clearly onside despite the calls from the Zetland sideline, and his shot was parried across to leave McLaughlin to put the ball into the empty net.

Half-time arrived with the game all but over and Stirling didn’t reach the same standard in the second half as they had in the first.

Sloppy passing and too many long balls led to Zetland having more of the game and putting Stirling under some sustained pressure. While the defence held firm, frustration seemed to be creeping in as they couldn’t replicate their composure from the first half.

Zetland started to create some chances as their pacey left winger had pushed up front in the second period. Ross Harkness was rarely troubled though as shots went well wide.

Quinn had a chance to add to the lead after a surging Ryan Mahoney run found the big centre half in the left hand side of the box. He squared to Quinn who scuffed his shot much to the stoppers frustration as he started the long trek back to centre half.

Graeme Crawford was withdrawn with a slight injury, and also to avoid further embarrassment from the quick striker who began to get the edge as the game progressed, with Connor Wells replacing him and Stevie Boyle filling in at right back.

Wells was immediately involved as he got into the penalty area to support. McLean got to the by-line and his cutback was met sweetly by ‘Weasley’ but the ball flew just over the bar to keep the magic wand celebration on ice and the first goal for a woman in district league football still to arrive.



Looked lively when introduced.



Stirling made a double switch with Betreen and Barker replaced by Euan McCall and Mikey MacDougall. MacDougall was involved from the off, with his new boots being proudly displayed to the masses, and his work-rate was troubling the Zetland defence and he won the ball back on numerous occasions.

MacDougall was unlucky not be awarded a penalty after a good one-two down the left gave him a shooting opportunity. As he was striking the ball the defender clipped his ankle, but the referee waved claims away claiming that the defender won the ball.

Stirling were to concede with ten minutes to go which was what they deserved from a lacklustre second half, although the ‘Get the ball’ shouts from Zetland were a tad ambitious. A touch and strike on the right-hand side of Stirling’s areas beat Harkness at his near post although it was a powerful strike which would have required a lot to keep out.

Stirling had the better for the final ten minutes and added some gloss to the scoreline with McLaughlin getting the customary brace Stirling 3^rd team strikers seem to love getting. Great running from MacDougall down the right meant he had time to deliver across the goal and McLaughlin was there to tap home.

With 11 goals in the last 4 games for the McLaughlin and Betreen strike pairing, they have become a lethal combination up front. With both in their final year at university they are going to be massive shoes to fill next season and hopefully they can sing of with a title winner’s medal to add to their massive collection of goals.

This was the perfect response by Stirling to the pressure of leading the title race. With Braehead losing to Stirling Thistle in the other game of meaning, it leaves Stirling needing 2 points from 2 games to win the title.

However they will look to have it done and dusted on Saturday against Loganlea. Playing on Stirling’s Stade de Gowrie in front of a record crowd, would be a fitting way to end the season. And with Final Fling arriving at night, providing the result goes the right way, the scenes after the game could be unbelievable.

Man of the Match: Chris Betreen

Stirling: Harkness, Crawford (Wells), Blair, Mahoney, Brodie, McLean, Boyle, Barker (McCall), Quinn, McLaughlin, Betreen (MacDougall)   Subs: Chapman, Lynch