Students steal points as Braves lose narrowly

It was a painfully close 3-2 defeat against the University of Stirling for Ricky Waddell’s side, who gave a good account of themselves after the mid-week loss.

The Braves started off the better of the two sides, and in the first five minutes they had a goal adjudged to be offside. Jack Smith was put clean through by Jon Guthrie, and slid his effort past the onrushing keeper, but left his marker too early. This would prove to be a slight foreshadowing og the game’s opener.

The hosts' bright start to the match was capped off by Jack Smith, who was put through by Neil McLaughlin. It was virtually a carbon copy of the goal that was ruled offside, as Smith composed himself and slid the ball past the Stirling keeper.

However, the lead lasted a total of two minutes. Slightly against the run of play, Stirling’s number ten, Jason Jarvis, equalled the scoreline when, following link up play from Stirling’s Downie and Lavery, he got himself on the end of a cut back and shot an awkward shot past Chardon, making it 1-1.

The home side were generally dominating, which made the away side going in front feel all the worse.

On the 30th minute, Stirling were ahead through their number nine, Jamie Penker. The striker got on the end of a cross and scrambled the ball past Chardon.

The Students nearly made it three, as they had a goal chopped off after Penker fouled Chardon, before he headed into the net.

After the break, the Braves were right back into the game. McLaughlin saw the away keeper off his line and  looped an effort, from 45 yards, over the scrambling Fry to equalise.

The game began to open up after the goal. It was the Braves’ turn to try go ahead when McLaughlin got a flick on to Winters who shot narrowly wide of the net. However, it would be the away side getting themselves ahead on the scoresheet.

On eighty minutes, Chris Geddes' side made it 3-2. Kieran Hall laid the ball through to Robbie McGale, who slipped the ball past the keeper and into the corner of the net. The goal came out of nowhere, and was a sucker punch for the home side, who were looking to edge out their opponents.

A harsh lesson for the Braves, who now face four away games on the spin. Up next, Jeanfield Swifts in Perthshire.