Stirling Albion 1 Cowdenbeath 0

A late goal from sub Michael Mullen won the points for Stirling Albion in a tight game at Forthbank.

The Blue Brazil will feel slightly hard done by after creating the better goalscoring opportunities and two key refereeing decisions going against us. Firstly Gareth Wardlaw was taken out by keeper Scott Christie on the edge of the box after being put through by a great pass from the outstanding Mark Baxter but the ref decided it was only a yellow card offense. Late in the game a controversial offside call denied Cowden an equaliser after Wardlaw put the ball in the back of the net.

Possession was fairly even but Cowden created five or six clear cut chances with young midfielder Jon Robertson coming closest but his effort drifted past the post. Stirling failed to test David Hay until the keeper made an uncharacteristic mistake from a corner and Mullen (78) pounced to score the only goal of the game from 2 yards out.

The two sides meet again on Tuesday night at Central Park in part two of the double header.