ALBION ROVERS 2 SHIRE 2

Shire will feel more than just a tinge of regret at failing to pick up all three points from a match at Cliftonhill which looked ripe for another victory.

They recovered well from the loss of a goal inside the first ten minutes and by the interval the Firs Parkers were 2-1 ahead thanks to fine strikes from Craig Donaldson and Marc McKenzie.

But that advantage was not built upon and Rovers took enough encouragement from that to come back with a late goal from Jamie McKenzie.

The home team will no doubt feel all their efforts deserved a share of the match but that won't stop Shire thinking they ought to have secured a win having held the advantage for so long.

Joe Savage's suspension opened up a place in the starting eleven for Paul McBride, his first since the Challenge Cup win over Dumbarton back in August.

That was the only change to the side which beat Forfar Athletic 4-1 in the team's last match a fortnight ago and, from the kick-off, it appeared as though Shire meant business.

After three minutes Scott Gibb's ball into the box found the unmarked Andrew Brand. The Firs Park skipper took aim with a thumping shot which looked a goal all the way until David Scott in the Rovers' goal intervened with a wonder save.

The travelling faithful were hoping that would set the tone for the afternoon, bt they were given a shock when Rovers responded with the opening goal after seven  minutes.

A careless defensive pass across the face of the Shire goal seemed to be asking for  trouble and Roddy Hunter was in the right place at the right time, picking up the loose ball to shoot low past Michael Brown from just inside the penalty area.

The Shire response was a Donaldson shot which whizzed just over the crossbar, but there continued to be worries at the other end, especially from a Jamie McKenzie header which came back off the far post with Brown beaten.

Just shy of the half hour mark Kevin McBride swung a corner kick over the Carl Thywissen at the back post but his effort was blocked on the line by the Rovers' keeper.

There was another scare on 34 minutes, this time from a John Gemmell free-kick 25 yards from goal which hit the top of Brown's crossbar before going harmlessly behind.

But Shire levelled things on 36 minutes. Some persistence paid off for Brand who eventually stole posession from Rovers' full-back Richard Buckley in a dangerous area and crossed for Donaldson to send a superb half volley crashing past Scott from 20 yards.

There was hardly enough time for the Firs Park fans to digest that before their team hit the front. This time Stephen Oates provided the measured delivery into the penalty area and, of all people, Marc McKenzie rose to head the ball into the net.

The visitors should have been looking to finish the game off after the interval but the second half was really poor fare.

Shire simply dealt with everything Rovers could throw at them and with considerable ease at that.

The only moment of danger came on 66 minutes when Gemmell latched onto a long ball out of defence before sending in a cracking shot which Brown had to drive full-stretch to push round the post for a corner.

Rovers were failing to hurt Shire and the same could be said for the Firs Park team, who seemed to have plenty of possession but were not really able to make much use of it.

But on 79 minutes Rovers punted the ball out of their own half and McKenzie, looking very offside, managed to escape the attentions of his marker.

The rovers man was allowed to continue his run towards goal by the match officials and ended it with a clever lob over the advancing Brown into the back of the net.

Shire sent on Sean Simpson for McKenzie in an attempt to find a late winner and they certainly maintained the pressure on the Rovers goal but could not get the break of the ball they required.

Shire : Brown, Gibb, K. McBride, Oates, Thywissen, Kelly, McKenzie(Simpson 83), Brand, P. McBride, Donaldson(Brownlie 56), Ure.

Albion Rovers : Scott, Buckley(Demilta 86), Reid. R. Walker, Benton, Donald, P. Walker, Chisholm, Hunter, McKenzie, Gemmell.

Referee : C. Brown

Attendance : 296.

 

Back