Stirling Albion 2, Cowdenbeath 1.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance 708

YET another red card was too much for Cowdenbeath to overcome at Forthbank on Saturday.

Robbie Deas was the man to pick up a red this time for a foul which cost the Blues a penalty and gave Albion a chance to get back into the match after Cowden had looked capable to going into the break a goal up.

However, not only did Stirling level from the spot the home side scored again into stoppage time and that goal proved to be the winner.

Cowden had opened the game well and took the lead inside ten minutes and looked capable of stretching their advantage but the loss of Deas totally upset their rhythm and they were at sixes and sevens for the last ten minutes before the interval and it cost them a result.

Two reds in two weeks is not good for the Blue Brazil and it means they will go into this weekend two players short.

Yet even with ten Cowdenbeath had plenty of the ball and opportunities to get level.

With Jason Talbot suspended Blair Malcolm came into the defensive area but it he had to limp off after less than 35 minutes.

Jamie Pyper replaced him and did really well in plugging a lot of gaps as Cowden went out to try and get something from the game.

David Marsh also had a good game, but the midfield suffered from the team losing a man although Gary Fraser and Kyle Miller kept working hard.

After a good start to the game Kris Renton and Jordan Allan saw less of the ball the more time went on but Allan took his goal well.

Cowden started the game well and Allan saw a shot blocked in seven minutes and then two minutes later he opened the scoring.

Albion's Jordan Marr made a poor pass and then failed to pick ALLAN up 25 yards out and he cleverly escaped a marker before firing a 19 yarder wide of the ‘keeper.

The Blues looked for a second and David Cox saw his header go just wide and it took Albion until the 25th minute to pose the visitors a problem with a Peter MacDonald effort which went wide.

Cowdenbeath should have had a second when a corner looked perfect for Renton but he could not keep his header down and the ball went over.

Then in 35 minutes Deas hauled down MacDonald just inside the box and after the Cowden defender had been sent off Dylan MACKIN levelled from the spot.

Still Fraser Mullen saw his raking 22 yarder brilliantly saved by the ‘keeper but two minutes from the break Dave McGurn saved superbly from Darren Smith.

However, in the second minute of time added on Smith set up Dom DOCHERTY whose 14 yarder gave McGurn no chance.

Cowden started the second period positively despite being a man short and Pyper saw ‘keeper Ferrie make a fine save from a header that was heading for the net, then the Stirling last line made a fine diving save from another Blue Brazil set piece with Pyper again getting on the end of the cross.

The Albion took until the 71st minute to get a shot away but Smith’s effort went wide.

Jordyn Sheerin was thrown on as the Fifers tried hard to get an equaliser but it was Stirling who finished the game forcing several corners but there were no more goals.

Stirling Albion: Ferrie (7); McGeachie (6), Allan (6) (Thomson 69 (3)); Hughes (6), Horne (7), Marr (7); Jardine (6), Docherty (7), Mackin (6) (McLaughlin 73 (3)), Smith (7) (Banner 82 (2)), MacDonald (7). Subs not used, Rutkiewicz, McLaren and Binnie.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (7); Fraser Mullen (7), Blair Malcolm (5) (Jamie Pyper 33 (7)); David Marsh (7), Kyle Miller (6); David Cox (7) ( Josh Skelly 71 (3)), Jordan Allan (8) (Jordyn Sheerin (3)), Kris Renton (6), Gary Fraser (6), Robbie Buchanan (6). Subs not used, Harvey Swann, Kyle Sneddon, Martin Scott and Ryan Goodfellow.

Referee-Scott Lambie (6).