10/09/2016  |  League

East Stirlingshire   4  v  1  Cumbernauld Colts

With Colts on a six game winning run, confidence was high going into this tough away fixture against a strong East Stirling side.

It was the home side who began the match on top and took an early lead after a defensive mix up saw the ball break to Stirling forward David Grant, who took the ball around Colts goalkeeper Chris Fahey to slot the ball into the net.

The game settled down and Colts managed to create some chances in front of goal with the home goalkeeper denying efforts from Stephen O’Neil and Ross Kavanagh. However, it was East Stirling who got the second goal of the game from a cross into the box and Andy Rodgers met the ball at the back post who made the score 2-0.

Colts worked hard before half time in the search of a goal but were unable to find the net with the score 2-0 to East Stirling at the break.

As the teams came out for the second half Colts introduced two substitutes to the game, Murray and Selkirk coming on for Black and Kavanagh respectively. It was Colts who began the second half the quickest and found a goal on the fifty-minute mark through Stephen O’Neil who finished off a good passing move to fire the ball into the roof of the net at the back post to narrow the score line.

Colts found their enthusiasm and began to create more chances most notably when O’Neil’s cross found Andrew Selkirk unmarked in the box whose touch provided the defender and goalkeeper to close him down and block the eventual shot.

Following this missed opportunity, it was the home side who regained control of the game and attacked Colts with purpose, and it wasn’t long before the two goal lead was restored when Stirling Connor Greene danced through the visiting defence to fire the ball home to make the score line 3-1.

After the goal the match began to get a bit heated with the linesmen having to enter the pitch to help the referee break up arguments between both sets of players before Stirling forward Paul Sludden was sent off for violent conduct.

His dismissal however didn’t prevent the home side from going forward and were awarded a penalty that left Colts players feeling aggrieved. Andy Rodgers took the penalty and placed it straight down the middle to increase their lead.

With the score now 4-1 the home side were able to see out the game and take the three points in the first meeting between the two sides.