Second Division: Late collapse sees Stirling suffer another relegation

Greig McDonald’s side looked on course to take the relegation battle to the wire when Scott Davidson gave them a first-half lead, but two goals in the last 12 minutes – a Devon Jacobs own goal and a last-minute Craig Dargo strike – earned victory for Dumbarton.

McDonald said: “The players have worked hard all season but ultimately we were a wee bit short on the quality front and that has cost us.”

Airdrie and Stenhousemuir are left fighting it out for the one remaining play-off spot after defeating East Fife and Arbroath respectively.

The Diamonds won 2-0 at in Lanarkshire thanks to second-half goals from Sean Lynch and Jamie Bain with the game ending ten-a-side after the Airdrie’s Willie McLaren and Fifer David White were dismissed in injury time for clashing with each other. The Fifers can still mathematically get fourth place, but would be reliant on a highly unlikely sequence of events.

Stenhousemuir are two goals worse off than Airdrie after their 2-0 win at Gayfield thanks to early efforts from Grant Anderson and Andy Rodgers.

Two goals from Rory McKenzie put Brechin in control at home to newly-crowned champions Cowdenbeath, but Marc McKenzie and John Armstrong hit back to force a 2-2 draw.

The battle to avoid finishing second-bottom remains unresolved, although Forfar seized the initiative as they pushed Albion Rovers back into ninth place with a 4-0 thrashing of the Coatbridge side at Station Park. Kevin Byers scored before the visitors had Tony Stevenson sent off. Greg Ross then doubled the hosts’ lead as Albion went down to nine men when Chris Boyle was red-carded just before half-time. Forfar’s Chris Templeman missed a penalty before team-mate Dale Hilson was dismissed, but Bradley Coyne sealed the win with a fourth.