Stirling Albion 1 - 2 Falkirk

Published on Thursday 21 April 2011 13:43

Stirling Albion 1 Smith 53 Falkirk 2 Millar 37 pen; McManus 41

FALKIRK made it four wins in a row but their prospects of winning the title are surely dead in the water after Dunfermline's victory over Raith.

The Falkirk fans survived an early scare after just a couple of minutes when Gordon Smith's drive was thwarted by the boot of Bairns goalkeeper Robert Olejnik. At the opposite end a header from Falkirk defender Kieran Duffy was saved by Callum Reidford.

Falkirk took the lead seven minutes before the break via a penalty. Scott Robertson pushed Thomas Scobbie, referee Stevie O'Reilly instantly signalled to the spot and up stepped Mark Millar to do the business.

Three minutes later it was 2-0, Tam McManus rifling the ball low and hard past Reidford after he had been set up by Stewart Murdoch.

Stirling were clearly up against it but they battled away and were rewarded in the 53rd minute when Smith headed past Olejnik following a Paul McHale corner which had been headed into the penalty area by former Falkirk player Brian Allison.

Stirling might be down but to their credit they pushed forward in a bid to draw level.

They came within a whisker of doing just that and were only denied when Olejnik produced a fine one handed save from a rasping Smith drive which looked a winner all the way. That prompted another push forward by Falkirk, with Kallum Higginbotham shooting from the left only to be denied by Reidford who was in resilient form.

Falkirk sub Stephen Kingsley, who had been on less than a minute, was red carded for his challenge on Michael Doyle.