Stirling 2nd X1 3-2 Balmore

Caledonian League
Saturday 20th October 2012

Stirling escaped from the Gannochy with three points after a lackluster performance almost cost them the victory right at the death.

Taking advantage of the freshly built 4G astroturf, the game took place on the new surface with Stirling looking to take advantage of the width the park provides.

Balmore made most of the early running as Stirling struggled to get a foot on the ball. The unconventional set-up applied in the middle of the park by the away side was troubling the students as their opponents continually swapped positions.

Bagged the 1st

Keith Glendinning and Harry Stewart were dealing well with the lone striker as their opponents failed to convert their possession into goals, while at the other end, the imposing striking duo of Jacob Arnold-Smith and Elliot Sutcliffe were slowly beginning to link up better after a slow start.

Stirling could have went ahead when Arnold-Smith spun his defender and was bearing down on goal. However the ex-Gillingham man failed to notice the run of Oliver Monguel and fired his shot over the bar as Balmore escaped.

Scott Tully was continuing his recent run of good form out on the left, beating his man time and again but Stirling couldn't quite take advantage of his delivery.

The home side were to take the lead as Arnold-Smith made up for his earlier error. Spinning away from the close attentions of the central defender he fed a delightful ball in behind for Monguel. the ex-Fulham trainee shot early to the surprise of the keeper, and he was unable to prevent the ball crossing the line.

The goal settled Stirling, but rather than build on they were pegged back ten minutes later. A looped ball in behind put Glendinning and Jake Fifer in trouble and Balmore's striker pounced to nick the ball past the keeper and tap home.

Gave Stirling a half-time lead

With the scores level Stirling started again and were looking the more likely to score as the half drifted to a close and they were fortunate to go in a goal with Arnold-Smith on target. A whipped ball in from the right fell to Sutcliffe and his lay off was fired home.

There was one change at the break with Graeme Crawford  replacing Matthew Sheridan at left-back.

Riteesh Mishra and Cole Harrop were working hard in the middle of the park, up against three, and were spreading the ball from side to side effectively. The tempo of the game remained low however, which left Stirling unable to play with their usual quick pass and move approach.

Balmore were coming more and more into the game as the half wore on with Stirling failing to make the right decisions in the final third and losing possession far too frequently.

The away sides right hand side was their main threat as Stirling failed to deal with wandering midfielders and the began to create chances with Fifer having to be at his best to tip a goal bound effort round the post.

Numerous key saves

Fifer was again involved as Balmore threatened an equaliser after a series of questionable refereeing decisions went against the home side; most noticeably some swinging elbows which Crawford and Stewart had to battle through.

With 20 minutes to go Stirling brought on Alex Wilson and Evan Brandsdorfer for the two front men as they looked to consolidate their lead. Callum Liddle replaced Tully with ten minutes left in an attempt to further shore up the defence.

The away side did get their goal though with just two minutes remaining as the ball was curled into the top corner past the helpless, and unfortunate, Fifer as Balmore looked to have snatched a point.

Last minute winner

However Stirling showed some character and pushed up the field. Wilson rolled his marker on the edge of the area and played the ball to Harrop's feet. His touch and shot was drilled beautifully into the top corner as Stirling nicked the three points right at the death.

An unusually poor performance for Stirling but in the end a valuable win which leaves them mid-table with a few games in hand.



Stirling: Fifer, Aitken, Glendinning, Stewart, Sheridan (Crawford 45), Monguel, Mishra, Harrop, Tully (Liddle 80), Sutcliffe (Wilson 70), Arnold-Smith (Brandsdorfer 70)

Stirling 2nd X1's next game is away to Viewfield Rovers in the Colville Park West Scotland Cup on Saturday 27th October with a 2pm kick off.

Follow all the University football teams at www.stir.ac.uk/footballclub and on Twitter @SUFC_Official

Review of the Season 2011/2012

Just thought I'd give a recap of the season plus all the results and scorers, missing one goal against Stirling Boys Club so first one to claim it gets it!

Objectives at the start of the season were to win the Wednesday league and challenge for promotion in the Saturday league. Fortunately we've managed to achieve both of these and fully deserved to do so!

Highlights:

• Doing the double over Glasgow 2's
• 8-0 win over Edinburgh 4's
• Only team to beat Braehead over the season
• Freshers bedding in to the team well
• Dougs finally finding the net on a regular basis
• John McCallum

Poor Moments:

• Loss to Edinburgh away
• Two losses to Dunblane
• Not getting out the groups in the Wednesday Cup
• Poor cup runs on a Saturday
• Conceding 78 goals
• Angus Wilson

Special Mention to boys that are leaving, massive parts of the club that will be hard to follow:

Tom Flanagan

Ross Chapman

Mikey MacDougall

John McCallum

Michael Tuohy

Stirling University 3rd Team 2011/12- Results and Scorers

V Kirkintilloch Miners 1-2 Boyle

V Slammanan- 3-2- Crawford pen, McLachlan, Wells

V Glasgow 2’s- 3-2- Crawford, Bailey, Lynch

V Dunblane Thistle- 2-4- Crawford pen, McLachlan

V Braehead- 2-5 Sutcliffe, McLachlan

V Edinburgh 4’s- 8-0- Dalrymple 2, Fergusson, Lynch, Crawford 2(1 pen), McCallum, Gemmell

V Commrie Tavern- 3-4- Tuohy, Crawford, Rathore

V Napier 1’s- 0-3

V Camelon- 4-0- Tuohy, Mahoney, Betreen, Crawford

V Musselburgh 4-0 Wells, Smith 2, McLachlan

V Heriot Watt 3’s- 3-0- MacDougall, Quinn, Gemmell

V Loganlea 2-3- Lynch, MacDougall

V Aberdeen 2’s 2-0- McCallum, Crawford

V Milton 4-1- Quinn 2, Tuohy, Crawford

V Glasgow 2’s 4-0 Crawford pen, McCallum 2, MacDougall

V Bluebell 0-6

V St Andrews 1’s 3-6 Rathore 2, OG

V Dunblane 1-3 Sutcliffe

V Edinburgh 4’s 0-3

Christmas Break

V Robert Gordon 2’s 1-1 MacDougall

V Robert Gordon 2’s 3-0 Touhy, Bailey, OG

V Stirling Boys Club 2-1 Quinn, McLachlan

V Aberdeen 2’s 0-0

V Zetland 2-3 Hughes (2)

V Redbrae 5-2 Crawford 2(1 pen), Quinn, MacDougall, Glass

V Stirling Boys Club 3-1 Crawford, MacDougall, ?

V Bannockburn 2-0 Wells, Smith

V Loganlea 4-4 Tuohy, Cooper (2), McCall

V Braehead 2-1 Rathore, MacDonald

V Stirling Thistle 6-1 Hughes 3, McLachlan 2, Barker

V Camelon Albion 0-2

V Stirling Thistle 2-1 Rathore, Tuohy

V Milton 3-4 McCall, McLachlan, Tuohy

V Camelon Albion 5-3 Mitchell (2), Crawford pen, MacDougall, Rathore

V Tullibody 1-3 Rathore

V Redbrae 3-1 Tuohy, McLean, Rathore

V Tullibody 3-0 Hughes, Wilson, Tuohy

V Zetland 3-1 McLachlan, Tuohy, OG

V Caldercruix 0-3

V Slammanan 4-2 Crawford (2), Lynch, OG

Crawford 16, Tuohy 10, McLachlan 9, Rathore 8, MacDougall 7, Hughes 6, Quinn 5, McCallum 4, Lynch 4, Own Goals 4, Wells 3, Smith 3, Sutcliffe 2, Dalrymple 2, Cooper 2, Mitchell 2, Bailey 2, Betreen 1, Mahoney 1, Fergusson 1, Gemmell 1, Glass 1, McCall 1, MacDonald 1, Barker 1, Wilson, 1, McLean 1, Boyle 1

Goals Scored 100. Goals Conceded 78

Robert Gordon 2's 1 Stirling 1

Stirling managed to take a draw back from Aberdeen which has always been a difficult place to go, having never won in the Granite City under Tommy Craig’s tutelage. With exams causing this game to be postponed in December, Stirling had to wait to try and avenge their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Edinburgh 4’s. Knocking the students down a peg after a 100% start to league business, it reminded the table toppers that they were not promoted already and still have to earn their place in the league above.

Stirling welcomed Will Barker, Stevie Clark and Kevin Hughes into the starting 11 as they looked to take a result which would keep them firmly in the 4A driving seat. The performance on display deserved more than just a point and had it not been for some abject refereeing, the scoreline could have been a whole lot different.

Instead of the usual picture selection,
I thought we could enjoy Connor's London
snaps he felt Facebook would enjoy.

Playing into a strong wind in the first half, Stirling were controlling the game with Barker and Michael Tuohy in the centre of the park always available and switching flanks time and again. Both fullbacks, Ryan McCue and Graeme Crawford, were seeing a lot of the ball but couldn’t quite find the correct ball to trouble the Aberdeen defence; Crawford particularly guilty of trying the difficult pass when the better option was to find feet.

Stirling created two quick chances to take the lead midway through the first period. After neat built build up play down the right, Clark’s pass got Crawford to the by-line but his cross was blocked by the covering defender. Minutes later a pinpoint through ball released Hughes in behind but the number 9 was ruled offside despite being in his own half and behind a Robert Gordon defender.

This was a sign of thing to come from a referee who seems to aspire to the Willie Collum style of refereeing, i.e. extremely biased. Stirling continued to battle on however with RGU failing to threaten the centre half pairing of Tom Flanagan and Stevie Boyle. The skipper playing in one of his many positions was rarely troubled as he and his Mancunian colleague steadied the ship.

In fact with such a strong wind Stirling did well to limit the home side to one long range effort which Kieran McCulloch got down smartly to block and gather at the second attempt. The half time whistle arrived with only a chance for Crawford any other point of note in the first period. Tuohy’s whipped free-kick arrived at Crawford on the stretch and the goalkeeper managed to strike the ball off the fullback and the ball rebounded over the bar from 3 yards.

Stirling came out from the break content at their endeavour in the first half and looked to sustain the pressure of the first half and improve their quality in the final third. With their two central midfielders dominating, the away team were retaining the ball superbly and were forcing their opponents to sit deep in their own half for the majority of the game; this further by a formation change to 4-4-1-1 by the home team.

Love ma babes.

They were to get their reward for their efforts around the sixty minute mark. Hughes and strike partner Mikey MacDougall were combining well and this reaped benefits with the opening goal. Hughes’ flick on from a long goal kick released MacDougall and he remained calm to toe poke past the on-rushing goalkeeper. Having struggled for goals, MacDougall’s work ethic is finally being rewarded in the goal scoring stakes.

This sparked the beginning of a downward turn in the away side’s fortune however. Hughes received the ball into feet and adeptly knocked the ball past his marker inside the box. His legs were crudely taken away but the referee saw fit to play on but Hughes was not booked; you can draw your own conclusions from the lack of a card being dished out.

Minutes later Barker was fouled in the centre of the field but the man in the middle played on and RGU gained a free kick of their own. The long ball forward held up in the wind and the ball was controlled by the home sides forward. After a miscued shot from the left the ball was scrambled home from 6 yards to bring the sides level.

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Stirling were trying their best to fight the injustice they were feeling as even the home sides players were find the decisions laughable. Corner, free-kick and throw-ins were continually awarded against the travelling side, decisions which weren’t even debatable.

However Stirling remained the most potent side and had their chances to sneak a result from right under the referee’s nose. Barker had a long range strike which flew a yard wide of the top corner with the goalkeeper looking on nervously.

Stirling’s top scorer last season nearly grabbed the winner after bursting from midfield to arrive in the area. His touch and shot across the keeper was blocked superbly with the keeper’s trailing hand as it looked like being one of those days.

The away side had one final chance to get the extra two points they deserved. Crawford found Hughes inside the right-hand side of the area to which the striker took one touch away from his defender and struck early with his left foot. The ball was curling into the bottom corner but the goalkeeper managed to tip the ball round the post in what was a terrific save by the Robert Gordon number 1.

Stirling can be satisfied with the performance they put in after more than a month without any training or games. The point keeps them top of the league and promotion in their own hands, which they have got to capitalise on. Circumstances prevented all three points going Stirling’s way but a draw isn’t the worst result to take away from Aberdeenshire.

Stirling: McCulloch, Crawford, Flanagan, Boyle, McCue, Clark, Barker, Tuohy (Bailey), Quinn, MacDougall, Hughes Subs: Wells, Gillespie