A blustery Balmoor played host to League 2 action once again as table toppers Peterhead entertained 3rd placed Stirling Albion. The visitors had pulled off a fantastic result in their last league game by beating Spartans but failed to match those heights as they bowed out in the SPFL Trust Trophy as Peterhead continued to build momentum with a fourth straight home win, Dumbarton being the latest victims. The Blue Toon made five changes to their starting line-up as Stuart McKenzie, Danny Strachan, Ryan Strachan, Cieran Dunne and Seb Ross replacing Blessing Oluyemi, Caleb Goldie, Scott Ross, Jordan Armstrong and Robert Ward.
A hot start from the visitors led to an early chance with Alexander Ferguson and Cameron McKinlay playing a 1-2 and the latter being slipped through, his shot stinging the palms of Stuart McKenzie. Peterhead then settled into the game and nearly opened the scoring – Cieran Dunne, a constant threat throughout the match, whipped a cross into the area towards Seb Ross but the attacker couldn’t get onto the end of it. The Blue Toon did hit the front moments later as Dylan Forrest pinged a great ball out to Dunne and his crossed was turned into his own net by Ross McGeachie, under pressure from Cammy Smith.
Smith nearly had a goal of his own shortly later as he was picked out by Danny Strachan but Derek Gaston made an outstanding save to deny the Peterhead forward. Seb was played in on goal following a fantastic spin on the halfway line by Smith but his chipped effort drifted wide of target. Dunne’s cross was guided into the path of Jack Brown by Seb on the stroke of half time but his first time effort fizzed narrowly wide of goal.
Half Time: Peterhead 1-0 Stirling Albion
The dominance of Peterhead was undone within the first few minutes of the second half. Adam Brown tried his luck with a speculative effort from 30 yards which swerved in the Balmoor breeze and caught McKenzie out and ended up in the back of the net. It almost went from bad to worse for the Blue Toon as half time substitute Ricky Waugh blazed a golden opportunity over the bar for the Binos. The momentum swung yet again in the 55th minute as Erik Sula was given a second yellow for a shirt pull on Smith who looked to be through on goal. Gaston once again foiled Smith with a fantastic save before Max Barry fired two distant efforts over the bar.
Forrest whipped in a tantalising ball to the far post with nobody in a blue shirt able to get on the end of it. With five minutes to go, Ben Armour won the ball in a high area of the park which fell to Forrest, who whipped in a mirror image cross to the one moments before and Rory McAllister was there to tap home and score League goal 251 of his career. Peterhead were then able to see out the remainder of the game with little to no threat from the 10 men of Stirling Albion and extend their lead to 4 points at the top of the table with next week’s opponents East Fife falling to defeat away to Stranraer.
