Stirling Albion 2 Forfar Athletic 0

On a very wet Tuesday night, Forfar Athletic were dealt a blow in their play off ambitions as two second half goals secured the three points for new league leaders Stirling Albion.

With the game goalless after 70 minutes, two goals in just eight minutes were to be the Loons’ downfall thanks to Ross McGeachie and Dale Carrick.

Ray McKinnon made three changes from the side that defeated Annan with a packed fixture list over the next fortnight; Ben Armour, Finn Robson and Craig Thomson coming in for Matthew Aitken, Kyle Hutton and Nathan Flanagan.

The game was a slow burner in the early stages as the sides looked to feel out each defence. Stirling‘s top scorer Dale Carrick was the first to eke out an opportunity as he sent a shot over the bar from just outside the Loons box.

Carrick was involved again in the 16th minute, forcing Marc McCallum into a save from his strike.

The Loons had chances of their own with Adam Hutchinson sending a header wide while Craig Thomson couldn’t get his strike through a pack of players.

The hosts were somewhat fortunate to keep eleven men on the park shortly before the break when Paul McLean put in a questionable challenge on Ben Armour out on the wing, the referee producing just a yellow card for the tackle.

Stirling came out for the second half looking eager to break the deadlock and almost fife so straight from kick off as they made their way into the box but Carrick’s ambitious overhead kick failed to beat McCallum.

With the game in the 70th minute, the hosts put themselves in front through the bane of the Loons’ season; a corner swung in by Josh Cooper was powerfully headed home by Ross McGeachie.

Eight minutes later their lead was doubled as Forfar were dispossessed too easily in midfield and Albion broke forward to allow Carrick to slot past McCallum.

Despite efforts from Aitken and McCluskey flying past the post, Stirling comfortably saw the game out as the points saw them rise to the top of the league.

The Loons will look to bounce on Saturday away to Stenhousemuir, the Warriors currently sitting a point ahead in fifth, albeit having played a game more.

McCallum, Nditi, Brindley, Thomson (Aitken 65), Slater, McCluskey, Ross (Docherty 79), Robson, Armour, Munro, Hutchinson

Subs not used: Hutton, Gillies, Dunachie, Kennedy (gk)