10/12/2016  |  League

Cumbernauld Colts   0  v  3  University of Stirling

The Colts slumped to their fifth league defeat of the season with a disappointing display against Univeristy of Stirling at Broadwood.

Paul McAfferty's double and a superb strike from Chris Geddes secured maximum points for the visitors which allowed Shelley Kerr's side to leapfrog ten man Colts in the Lowland League table.

And the Cumbernauld side's misery was further compounded by the dismissal of Jordan Pirrie early in the second half.

Colts had started the game brightly and created some early chances with the best opportunity falling to Andy Selkirk at the far post when he got onto the end of Jamie Broadfoot's corner, but the striker flicked an effort over the bar when he should have at least hit the target.

However the visitors began to show their danger on the break and midway through the first half they edged in front when they made the most of a swift counter attack.

McAfferty and Tomos Jones combine superbly on the right edge of the box and after a neat exchange of passes McAfferty found space on the edge of the six yard box and drilled an angled shot past Chris Fahey.

There was no further scoring in the first half but things took a turn for the worse for Colts shortly after the break when they were reduced to ten men after Pirrie received his marching orders for a second yellow when he fouled Lewis Bonar in the middle of the park.

The sending off was harsh on the youngster but he was always going to be walking a tightrope after being booked early in the game.

Colts management duo of James Orr and Craig McKinlay made some changes to hopefully allow their man to claw a way back into the game.

And they almost got back on level terms on the hour mark when Jeff Fergus broke on the left and picked out Sean Brown inside the box but the striker failed to get his effort on target.

But it was going to be Colts day and they were left with a mountain to climb when the visitors extended their lead with 20 minutes remaining.

And it was that man McAfferty once again who did the damage when another swift attack allowed Sam Jamieson to break through on goal and the winger rounded Fahey on the right side of the box before cutting the ball back for McAfferty who slid the ball into an empty net from close range.

The visitors then completed the scoring in style when the hard working Geddes scored the goal of the game with 10 minutes remaining when he curled a superbly taken free kick from 25 yards into the top right corner of Fahey's net with the keeper left helpless.

It was a disappointing day all round for Colts and with tough away fixture at Civil Service Strollers and East Kilbride in the coming weeks the men from Broadwood will need a positive reaction to allow them to move back up the Lowland League table.

Cumbernauld Colts; Fahey, Murray, Fergus, MacFarlane, Kirwin, Pirrie, Ronald, Black, Selkirk, Brown, Broadfoot. Subs; Barclay, George, Batchelor, Ward, Sheridan, Foggin, Milne.

University of Stirling; Marshall, Jones, Cuff, Ashe, Nixon, Leigh, Faulds, Bonar, Geddes, McAfferty, Jamieson. Subs; Gillen, Kellock, Tuchy Moyes, Mailer, Hunter, Klijson.

Stuart Coleman