Students keep title bid alive

The destination of the Central Taxis Premier Division championship flag is balanced on a knife-edge after Creag Robertson’s first-half header earned the students all three points in this penultimate league game of the season for both clubs.

Spartans and Stirling University are now level on 48 points with Spartans having the narrow advantage of a goal difference of just one goal. Spartans’ final game is away to arch-rivals Whitehill Welfare, while Stirling University travel to meet Vale of Leithen, one of goalscorer Robertson’s former teams.

A victory for Spartans at Stirling would have given the Capital side the title, but they never looked like beating the students who played with discipline and whose defensive back four played as if their very lives depended on keeping a clean sheet.

The action started with Stirling’s Liam Corr testing Chris Flockhart in the Spartans goal, while at the other end an Omar Kader shot was held low down by Kevin Walker. Chris Anderson then fired wide for Spartans before, in a counter attack, Chris Geddes fed Paul Sludden who side-footed his effort wide of the target.

Corr then had a good shot blocked by Flockhart as Stirling looked the more likely team to open the scoring, and they duly did just that after 24 minutes.

An Eddie Dines corner on the left was driven into the penalty box where Robertson leaped to power a magnificent header under the crossbar and past the flailing arms of Flockhart.

“I don’t get too many goals, so I was delighted with that one,” smiled Robertson. “I actually said when I went up to the Spartans penalty box to their defender Ali MacKinnon to watch out because I am dynamite in the air. That was me trying to wind him up, so it was great to see the ball going in.”

The goal was no more than the students deserved as they continued to threaten with both Geddes and Robert Pearson influential in the Spartans half of the park.

However, Spartans were by no means out of the contest, and Gavin Malin shot wide from a good position. Then, on the stoke of half-time, a MacKinnon shot bounced through and Anderson, from close range, back-headed the ball over the bar.

The introduction of Stirling’s Danny Denholm provided the students with another boost and his first foray ended with a cross which hit Daniel O’Donnell on the arm, but the referee waved aside their claims for a penalty. Denholm then hit a 25-yard shot which shaved the outside of the post.

Spartans introduced Jordan Finnie and Jack Beesley and they lifted the tempo. Dean Hoskins had an opportunity to equalise, but pulled his shot wide of the target. Thereafter a Hoskins cross found Finnie, but his header grazed the bar.

The final act of Spartans’ performance was three minutes from time when Donal Henretty, who was already on a yellow card, was shown a second when the referee adjudged that he had taken a dive in the Stirling penalty box.

Goalscorer Robertson added: “It was a great effort by the lads. Spartans have always had one over on us because that is the first time we have ever beaten them in the league. That was fantastic because they are the best team in the league and to get three points was massive for us. It makes the destination of the title a little bit of a shoot-out.”

Gordon Dick, Stirling’s coach, said: “A win against Spartans feels tremendous. Our boys have had a lot of games in a short period and they have done extremely well. They showed their grit and the victory has put us back in the mix. Our back five have been tremendous all season and against Spartans they won countless tackles.”

Mike Lawson, Spartans co-manager, added: “The better team won. We did not create a lot and I don’t know if over the piece that we deserved a draw.”

Stirling University: Walker, Nixon, Sheridan, Atkins, Drummond, Robertson, Corr (McWhirter 80), Pearson, Geddes, Sludden, Dines (Denholm 55). Subs: Jacobs, Glendinning, McCulloch.

Spartans: Flockhart, O’Donnell, Hoskins, Sivewright, MacKinnon, Malin (Beesley 65), Kader, Manson, Henretty, Wringe (Finnie 65), McTurk, Donnelly, Hawkins.

Referee: G. Thomson