Stirling Albion………....…2

Annan Athletic…………….1

Stirling Albion’s youngsters were the stars of the show as the Binos played out their final home game of the season on a positive note with victory over Annan.

The club’s under-20 side had been presented with the Development League East trophy before kick-off, and it was two members of that victorious team who made the difference, with Moses Olanrewaju and Ross Kavanagh both on target before Josh Todd pulled one back for the visitors late on.

The Binos started the brighter of the two sides, and Scott Davidson and David Verlaque both headed off target from Lewis McLear’s set-piece deliveries.

At the other end, Steven Swinglehurst passed up a good chance when he took advantage of some slack marking, only to head wide with the goal at his mercy.

But it was the home side who made the breakthrough with just seven minutes on the clock. Steven Doris broke clear of the Annan defence and squared for Olanrewaju, who made no mistake with a cool finish beyond Jordan Hart for his second goal of the season.

Sean Dickson almost capitalised on a terrific ball from Aurelien Mazel, but he couldn’t get enough power on his lob and Hart claimed it gratefully.

Peter Weatherson should have probably done better when he got in front of the Albion defence to get his head on a corner, but his effort sailed harmlessly wide.

The striker then found himself unmarked in the box but Cammy Binnie, making a rare start, did well to smother his effort.

Lewis McLear rasped a drive towards the Annan goal but Hart prevented him doubling his side’s advantage with a fine save, before Davidson headed wide again from the resulting corner.

Weatherson could and probably should have had a hat-trick and he directed another header off target from an unmarked position in the middle of the box.

David Verlaque forced a great save from Hart early in the second half, with the keeper doing well to block the full-back’s powerful effort after the ball had fallen to him from a corner.

Hart then denied Olanrewaju a second, rushing out to smother the ball after the young Englishman took a heavy touch.

However, the Binos did get their second with just over ten minutes remaining. Kavanagh, on for Phil Johnston, was played through by Doris and the youngster made no mistake with a calm finish for his first senior goal.

The game’s main talking point arrived a few moments later. An Annan cross was blatantly punched into the net by Smart Osadolor, but the referee originally awarded the goal, only to change his mind on the advice of his assistant after furious protests from the Binos.

However, the visitors did pull one back through Josh Todd. Rabin Omar got away from Verlaque and squared the ball to his team-mate, who swept the ball beyond Cammy Binnie to halve the deficit.

Todd then headed over the bar from Omar’s corner as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.

Kavanagh could have doubled his tally in the dying seconds with a powerful effort on the half-volley but Hart was equal to it and kept his side in the game.

However, the visitors were unable to force the issue, and Albion ensured that their final home game of the season brought them three points.

Stirling Albion: Binnie, Verlaque, Forsyth, Mazel, R. Smith, Davidson, Johnston (Kavanagh), Dickson, Doris, McLear (Herron), Olanrewaju (McGeachie).