There were goals a plenty at Meadowbank 3G as Leith Athletic’s scored two late goals to secure a point against ten man Stirling University and remain in top spot.
After going behind in the last five games, the side from Leith came flying at their opponents this week and created two early chances through Lewis Martin and then Stephen Baigan. Jake Fifer saved well from Martin in the 5th minute, before Baigan fired wide in the 12th minute.
Leith opened the scoring on 16 minutes following a sweeping move from the back. Gary Black won the ball in midfield and played it to Sean Murphy. His pass into Keith Murray seen the striker turn his man and play the ball wide. Baigan latched on to the through ball and his ball across the box was turned home by Lewis Martin.
The lead was short lived as the University got back on level terms from a set piece. A corner from the left by Steven Forbes was headed home at the near post by Ben Birch.
In the 27th minute, Stirling were reduced to ten men after goal-scorer Martin latched on to a slack touch from Birch. In on goal, Birch pulled Martin down and was sent off by referee Cooper.
Just before the break, Euan Campbell picked up the ball in the centre and his weighted pass seen Murray through on goal, but he was unable to hit the target and clipped the ball wide of the post.
In the 51st minute, Leith were back in front. Chris Beaton found space in the middle of the park and played the ball through to Campbell. His pass found Murray and the striker stepped inside and fired his effort into the top corner from 25 yards.
Just three minutes later, the University were once again back on level terms. Gary Crooks played the ball down the line to Jeff Kessie. The striker bundled his way beyond two Leith defenders before cutting the ball back to Oliver Monguel to tap in to the empty net.
Stirling weren’t finished there and started to grow in confidence, taking the lead in the 56th minute. Chris Geddes and Crooks linked up in midfield, before the ball found its way to Forbes who had drifted inside.
He side-stepped Beaton before firing the ball into the top corner from 25-yards out.
It was 4-2 to the visitors with fifteen minutes left. A short ball into the box was cleared and Kessie robbed Gary Black of possession. He stepped inside Mark Leslie and slammed the ball beyond Iain Gordon.
Leith were up against it, but got back into the game from the spot in the 84th minute. A ball into the box by Black seen Murray upended by Alex Wilson. Murray picked himself up to slot home the spot kick for his 18th goal of the season.
It was all square as the game seen its 8th goal of the game just 90-seconds later. A free kick from the right by Kerr Allan came off the head of Robbie Mason and it fell to Chris Barrie whose directed the ball goal-wards and into the back of the net.
With just minutes remaining, Allan picked the ball up on the half-way line and drove forward, passing the ball wide to Martin. The winger beat his man and squared the ball to Allan, with a last-ditch block from Cole Harrop saving a point for the 10-men from Stirling.
Comments are closed.