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Match Report - Stirling Albion

Match Report - This Time It’s The Fash that Does the Smoking 

Niall Anderson looks back at Saturday’s match against Stirling Albion.

East Fife travelled across the M9 to face Stirling Albion last Saturday in their fourth fixture of the league season. Both teams went into the game following positive results last week, Stirling winning against title favourites Clyde, and East Fife against Forfar Athletic. The Methil men made two changes from last week as Jack Healy came in for Scott Shepherd with Stewart Murdoch taking the armband and replacing Connor McManus in the starting line-up. 

East Fife made their intentions clear inside the first 5 minutes as Reis Peggie was released through on goal by Trouten, narrowly missing the back of the net as the left winger’s effort fizzed past Gaston’s upright from a tight angle. Stirling soon had their own chance to open the scoring on 8 minutes where a mix up in the East Fife defence allowed Carrick to flick the ball back to his strike partner on the edge of the box but, fortunately for the Fife, the effort was right down McFarlane’s throat. 

Perhaps the best chance of the first half should have put the Fifer’s ahead on 25 minutes. McFarlane’s low flighted long ball to Austin was expertly flicked on to Trouten with only the keeper in his way, however the striker was caught in two minds as he tried a lob with his weaker foot and Gaston was able to collect easily. 

They say lightning doesn’t strike twice, well think again! Norey collects the ball on the edge of the box, Norey is fouled, Fash stands over it… Heard that one before? Perhaps a little more central than last week but the exact same outcome. Austin fired an unstoppable freekick on 39 minutes at the keeper’s near side to give us a 1-0 lead!

The goals wouldn’t stop there though - following a tussle in the middle of the park Trouten collected the ball, before laying it off for Peggie on the edge of the box and he fired in an equally impressive finish to double our lead, fooling both defender and goalie as he reversed the ball into the bottom corner! The local lad scoring his first goal for the black and gold (wearing blue and white) since his move during the summer break. It could’ve been three on the stroke of half-time when Andy Munro headed the ball into the back of the net but was flagged for offside. 

Half Time Stirling Albion 0-2 East Fife 

If the first half an hour was a fairly even affair, the second half was almost entirely dominated by the away team. Perhaps feeling slightly aggrieved to not have been set up for his second of the match a minute earlier, Austin extended the Fife’s lead on 52 minutes! After another fantastic tackle in the centre circle by Millar, he gave the ball to Fash who stone cold smoked his marker with a cheeky nutmeg and fired the ball past Gaston for 3-0!

Austin almost repeated the effort 30 yards out, but his speculative effort was held by Gaston at the second attempt. The front man completed his hat trick on 83 minutes following a good interchange down the right-hand side. McManus delivered a curling cross to the back post for Austin to power the ball into the back of the net with a side footed volley - 4-0! Adam Laaref almost added a fifth in the dying moments as he jinked through the Stirling defence but dragged his effort wide. 

Full Time Stirling Albion 0-4 East Fife 

East Fife welcome Clyde to Bayview this weekend with the chance to top the table if results go our way. East Fife sitting in lofty 2nd place on 9 points whereas Clyde sit in 8^th place after poor starting to the season with just 4 points.

Reporter’s MOTM - Who else? Nathan Austin! The man was absolutely on fire. The Stirling defence didn’t know whether it was Pancake Tuesday or Sheffield Wednesday, beating them both in the air and on ground. “It’s as good a hattrick as I’ve ever seen”. 

Stirling Albion – Gaston, McGeachie, Sula, Weir (Davidson 79’), Dall, Kerr, Wright (Knox 60’), Waugh (McKinlay 60’), Crane (Milne 79’), Carrick, Roy. Subs not used: Featherstone, Howe, Reilly, McIlravey.

East Fife – McFarlane, Murdoch (Docherty 45’), Newton, Easton, Munro, Millar (Slattery 75’), Norey (McManus 76’), Trouten (Shepherd 76’), Healy (Laaref 76’), Austin. Subs not used: Fleming.

Referee – Sean Murdoch

Attendance – 794

Report by Niall Anderson

Match Preview - Stirling Albion

Three wins in the last seven days has seen the momentum swing round following our opening day defeat against Elgin City 3 weeks ago. Last week’s 2-1 victory against Forfar Athletic sees us currently sitting in 4^th position in the William Hill League 2 table going into today’s game.

This week’s opposition Stirling Albion are coming off the back a good win themselves last weekend when they defeated bookies favourites Clyde at New Douglas Park.

William Hill League Two Table

Last Week’s Results

Clyde 0-2 Stirling Albion

East Fife 2-1 Forfar Athletic

Edinburgh City 2-2 Bonnyrigg Rose

Peterhead 1-0 Stranraer

This Week’s Fixtures

Bonnyrigg Rose vs Clyde

Forfar Athletic vs Edinburgh City

Stirling Albion vs East Fife

Stranraer vs Elgin City

The Spartans vs Peterhead

The Form

The Fifers

East Fife’s last 6 matches have seen us pick up 4 wins and 2 loses.

Wins have come curtesy of a 4-0 home victory over Brechin City in the League Cup, and three consecutive home wins against Edinburgh City (League 2), St. Johnstone B (SPFL Trust Trophy) and last week against Forfar Athletic (League 2), where goals from Nathan Austin and Alan Trouten saw up dispatch the Loons.

The two defeats have both come on the road. Firstly, on the final weekend of the League Cup group stages away to Premiership side St. Johnstone before succumbing to a 4-2 opening day defeat against Elgin at borough Briggs.

Our Opposition

Their last 6 matches have seen the Binos pick up 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 loses.

The two victories have both come away from home in the league against Edinburgh City and last weekend at New Douglas Park against Clyde.

Their two draws were both back in the League Cup group stages against Hamilton Academical and Stranraer with Stirling going on to pick up the bonus point on both occasions.

The two defeats came at the hands of Premiership side Ross County in the League Cup and at home two weeks ago against Elgin City where a first half goal from Mark Gallagher was enough to see the Highlanders head back up the road with all three points.

Previous Encounter

Stirling Albion 2-2 East Fife

8^th April 2023, Forthbank Stadium

The last times the sides met was towards the end of the 2023/24 season where a back-and-forth encounter ended in a share of the points following a 2-2 draw.

Jack Healy opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a left-footed volley following good work from Alex Ferguson down the right-hand side. The Binos hit back 3 minutes later through a Dale Carrick header. Carrick put the home side ahead just after the half-hour mark with an acrobatic effort.

Aaron Steele levelled the match again 7 minutes into the second half with a looping header from Liam Newton’s cross before East Fife had to see out the match a man down when Alan Trouten was dismissed for a second booking with 15 minutes left to play.

Squad News

Sean Docherty returns to the squad after missing out last weekend meaning the management team have a full squad at their disposal this afternoon.

Speaking yesterday, Assistant Manager Pink Campbell commented: “Stirling have had a good start to the season, so we’ll be giving them our upmost respect, but we’re really looking forward to the game after a really good week’s training.”

Match Tickets

East Fife fans will be housed in the East Stand this afternoon. Tickets for the match can be bought online or via cash at the turnstiles, with admission prices below:

Adults - £17

Concessions - £12

Students - £8

Under 18s - £8

Under 12s – Free with a paying adult

Please note, Stirling do not permit under 12s to attend the game unaccompanied.

Turnstiles will open at 2:00PM.

Live Stream

For our International Fans, live Streaming for today’s game will be available on EFTV, using a Monthly, or Annual Gold Pass. Today’s commentator will be Lee Gillies.

Club Colours

The Fifers will don the new, Back Onside sponsored away kit of blue & white striped shirts with white shorts and socks. The Fife goalkeeper will wear yellow for the match.

Officials

The referee today is Sean Murdoch and his assistant referees are Chris Gentles and James Duffy.

The Extra Bits

The speciality pie this afternoon is a South Indian Garlic Doner pie.

Mon the Fife!

SPFL Trust Trophy 3rd Round

Our SPFL Trust Trophy 3^rd Round match against Dunfermline Athletic will take place on Saturday 7^th September 2024 at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium with a 3:00pm.

Admission prices for the match have been agreed as follows:

Adults £15

Over 65s £10

Under 16s £5