The Blue Toon travelled south this weekend to take on Stirling Albion at Forthbank. Peterhead started the day joint-top of league two, following their dominant 2-0 victory at Balmoor against Edinburgh City the week before. Their opponents were unbeaten in their last three matches going into this one, including a 1-0 win against league leaders at the time, East Fife.
There was only one change to the team that started at Balmoor last time out, with Kieran Shanks returning from his suspension and into the lineup. Rory McAllister dropped to the bench.
The game started frantically, with the hosts taking the lead with just over a minute on the clock. A long ball through the heart of the Peterhead defence exposed their high line and send Shanley away in behind. Shanley got the ball under control and drove towards Stuart McKenzie before firing across goal into the far corner to give his team the perfect start. Peterhead replied just two minutes later however, from a Seb Ross free kick. His cross caused confusion between goalkeeper and defender in the Stirling Albion box, popped up into their air off the hands of Gaston, who then tried to swipe the ball away from his goal but instead helped it on its way in for a Blue Toon equaliser.
Peterhead then took control of the game and settled themselves down, dominating for large spells of the first half. Seb Ross had a number of chances to put his team in front, the best of which coming just before the half-hour mark. A ball slipped through from Dylan Forrest to Seb put him 1-on-1 with Gaston, but with the angle against him coming in from the left hand side, he could only drag his attempt wide of the post.
The hosts made their counter-attacking threat known and kept the Peterhead defence on their toes, with a couple of great recovery tackles from Jason Brown and Scott Ross denying Stirling any chance to really threaten McKenzie’s goal and keep the game level going into half time.
Half-time: Stirling Albion 1-1 Peterhead
The Binos came out the traps quickly again in the second half, and again Shanley had the chance to put his side in front, but this time he was not so clinical, shooting wide and spurning a huge opportunity. Much like the first 45 minutes, Peterhead dominated the ball and the majority of the chances. Kieran Shanks thought he had the goal at his mercy on 60 minutes, with the ball at his feet only 6 yards from goal, but a last minute lunge from McGeachie cut out the danger and what would, given his recent form, have likely been a certain goal for Shanks. Peterhead’s number 10 would get another opportunity to be the hero in the 82nd minute however. A pin-point whipped cross from Dylan Forrest found Kieran Shanks with a free header on the penalty spot, but he could not keep his header down, and it flew harmlessly over Gaston’s crossbar.
The Peterhead winner finally came in the 86th minute, from a rather unlikely source. Danny Strachan was high up the right flank, as he so often is, and found himself with the opportunity to run at the Stirling Albion defenders up the byline. Strachan weaved his way past a handful of men in red, before steadying himself and shooting with his instep high and powerfully off the crossbar and into the back of the net. Strachan wheeled away in delight, and ran the length of the pitch to knee-slide in front of the travelling fans celebrating his first goal of the league campaign. Substitute Rory McAllister then had a chance to put the game to bed, with fellow sub Oli Colloty playing the number 9 through, but despite usually being so reliable in front of goal, McAllister could not convert on this occasion. There was one last chance for the hosts to spoil the party, Carrick with a free header that he should have done better with, but could not hit the target, and Peterhead headed back up the road with all three points.
Full-time: Stirling Albion 1-2 Peterhead
Starting XI: McKenzie, Strachan, Jason Brown, Scott Ross (Goldie 58’), Dunne, Forrest, McCarthy (Carnwath 89’), Barry (Jack Brown 89’), Smith, Seb Ross (Colloty 69’), Shanks (McAllister 89’)
