Dundee 1 - 1 Stirling: Unhappy return to Dens Park for Jocky Scott as Stirling are condemned to relegation

Published on Sunday 10 April 2011 19:15

Dundee 1 McIntosh (50) Stirling Albion 1 Mullen (23)

STIRLING Albion yesterday became the first team in Scotland to succumb to relegation and the club will hold talks with manager Jocky Scott this week about his future.

The veteran coach was drafted in to replace John O'Neill in January but has been unable to address their slide into Division Two. Ironically, their fate was sealed at Dens Park, the home of Scott's former club and who sacked him just 13 months ago.

Stirling needed a victory to stave the all-but inevitable off for at least another week and briefly looked like they may do it when Michael Mullen gave them a first-half lead, but their demotion was confirmed when Leighton McIntosh's goal earned the home side a draw.

Scott said: "I will be sitting down and having talks with the Executive Board in the near future," he said.

"We will discuss things and see where we go from here. I am enjoying it other than the results. I'm loving being back on the training ground and being back in the dugout. The boys worked very hard but far too often we gave the ball away, especially in the last third of the park.

"In terms of quality we were definitely lacking. The problem lies at both ends of the park.

"We can't seem to play a game without losing a goal and we can't seem to score many either.

"We gave ourselves a chance by scoring early on but we just didn't manage to go on and do better."

Dundee, who were without several regulars due to suspension, fell behind after 23 minutes when Gordon Smith's snap-shot was only parried by goalkeeper Rab Douglas and Mullen was on hand to slam home the rebound. That stung the hosts into action, however, and both Craig Forsyth and skipper Gary Harkins came close in the run up to half-time.

While Stirling held out until the break, Dundee's battling qualities didn't desert them and they levelled through McIntosh on 50 minutes.

Forsyth did the donkey work by surging into the box before cutting back for McIntosh whose left-foot finish went in off the far post to give the teenager his first goal for Dundee.

The Dens Park club's manager Barry Smith, who played under Scott while he was in charge of the team, said: "I don't think Jocky will want my sympathy but it is never nice when someone you know so well gets relegated.

"As far as we are concerned, every point is a prisoner in our position so it's another step towards survival."

Dundee: Douglas, Rennie, Lockwood, O'Donnell, Benedictus, Bartlett, Riley, Harkins, McIntosh, Webster (Tulleth 74) Forsyth. Subs not used: Gibson, Carnegie, Hutcheon, Irons

Stirling: Reidford, Doyle, Forsyth, McHale, Allison (Corrigan 65) Robertson, Kane (Stirling 86) Borris (Welsh 46) Smith, Mullen, Brown. Subs not used: Jackson, Brighton.

Referee: G Hilland.

Attendance: 4,177