Robin Bairner Column – Part 4

There had been a fair bit of animosity between the fans of Stirling and Morton after a game earlier in the season when Alex Williams, who had just been sold to the Greenock club, kissed the Morton badge in front of the Stirling support at Cappielow. As expected this lead to one of the most heated atmosphere’s that Forthbank has ever seen.

It was the young Morton striker who gained the upper hand early on, forcing Iain Turner, now of Everton, into tipping the ball round the post for a corner. Robert Dunn was then forced to hack the ball off the line from another corner. Gradually Stirling wrestled some control of the match away from the Ton with David O’Brien in particular causing all kinds off problems for the visitors n the left side. Stevie Mallan blasted a chance from 6 yards over the bar and this was to prove Stirling’s best chance in a pulsating half of football which ultimately finished goalless.

Iain Turner was then to prove exactly why he was to go a Premiership club. He had been controversially penalised for handling the ball outside the area but justice was done when he tremendously tipped a free-kick arrowing into the top corner of the goal away.

It is said that on such moments matches turn and this was to be one of those matches. Mallan fired the warning shot to Morton after Nicholas’ cutback but it was straight at Craig Coyle in the Morton goal. It was the same two players that linked up again to set up David O’Brien as the back post to bundle the ball in after Nicholas had again played the ball in the and Mallan had headed back across goal.

Morton tried, but could not, lift their game enough to threaten a resolute Stirling defence. It was made clear to Alex Williams what the score was and exactly what the Stirling fans thought of him and the pressure was clearly getting to the young striker who appeared to lash out at Mark McNally only for both referee and his assistant t miss the incident.

With only a few minutes left Morton were piling everything forward and this allowed Stirling to launch a swift counter attack of their own which culminated in Mallan rolling Stevie Nicholas in behind the defence. He lashed the ball into the net and the home fans were sent home ecstatic and full of enthusiasm for the season ahead. This was to prove the best the team played in the league al year but after four consecutive wins and, Montrose in the CIS Cup excepting, a series of excellent performances from which a lot can be taken. Let’s just hope the team can live up to the pressure early season promise can bring.