Date – 19th September 2001
Venue – Forthbank Stadium
Competition – Bells’ Scottish Third Division
Result – Stirling Albion 4-5 Dumbarton
Kick Off – 7.45
Stirling had a succession of good results going into the game so hopes were riding high for a victory against a strong Dumbarton team who, like ourselves, were doing well in the 3rd Division at the time. However, hopes of getting anything from the game were quickly dashed as the Sons raced into a three goal lead in the opening forty minutes. Joe Robertson gave Dumbarton their perfect start as he forced the ball past Chris Reid in the Albion goal after just a couple of minutes. Worse was to follow from a Stirling point of view as the same player made it 2-0 half an hour later and then Paddy Flannery headed in a third for Dumbarton virtually straight after the second. Shouts for that time manager Ray Stewart’s, head were beginning to become a little less muted after a season previously which saw relegation for the Binos into Division 3 for the first time when many expected a serious promotion push. Even when Nicky Henderson stuck away a penalty after Alex Williams had been fouled in the box it looked likely to be nothing more than a consolation goal. But Stirling continued to fight back and Alex Williams made it 3-2 going in at the half time interval. Shooting towards the Safeway end in the second half hopes were again high for Stirling, who clearly had Dumbarton on the ropes. And it didn’t take long before the equaliser came. A ball swept in from the right and it was Williams, again, who was on hand to finish the move and spark mass celebration amongst the 350 or so hardy home supporters. By the time that Williams had completed his hat-trick, which meant he had scored consecutive hat-tricks in home games after bagging 3 against Second Division Cowdenbeath a week earlier in the CIS Cup competition, the Albion fans were jubilant and none could have foreseen the finish to the game that was to follow. Ray Stewart was also looking a whole lot smugger. The biggest blow for Stirling after taking the lead was when Paddy Flannery, so often a thorn in our side, equalised after only four minutes of being behind. Despite this Stirling continued to press forward although with Mark Crilly pulling the strings in the Dumbarton midfield they always looked dangerous on the counter attack. It was one of these such counter attacks which led to the goal which ultimately cost Stirling the game. Nicky Henderson tries to take a quick free-kick but Crilly was aware to it, intercepted the ball and drove forward. A pass was offloaded and with Graeme Morrison beaten for pace in the Stirling defence and the forward in the clear, there was a tug of the shirt and the inevitable free-kick was awarded. From 20 yards, Crilly curled the perfect free kick around the huge Stirling wall to really deflate anyone in red and white in the stadium.
There was no time left for Albion to fight back but to compound their misery, Morrison was sent off for a second bookable offence in stoppage time. Let’s hope that the outcome this season is a lot better than that of season 2001/02 when the start of the season proved only to be a fallacy of what was to come. As for “if you can wait, and not be tires waiting,” this surely has to be a direct reference to the 350 odd Albion fans who travelled home and away for seven years prior to last year with no reward greater than a seventh place finish. Allan Moore’s side provided some cheer last year with a top half finish and eyes will be firmly fixed upon the promotion places this year but any improvement in terms of league position would be very welcome. | 