By John Turnbull at Forthbank Stadium
University of Stirling were again left rueing missed chances as the students were beaten 3-2 by Broomhill at Forthbank on Saturday.
Stirling found themselves a goal behind going into the break, but their dominance paid off when goals from Doan and Penker gave the hosts a 2-1 lead.
Another handful of chances were passed up by the Uni before Ross Kavanagh scored the equaliser, with an unfortunate Matthew Burrows own goal handing the Glasgow side all three points.
Head coach Chris Geddes said: “I’m gutted, that’s three points definitely dropped. After defeats I usually look at the positives but we should’ve won that game. Some of our finishing was woeful again, we scored two good goals but the two goals we gave away to give Broomhill the lead, the less said the better.
“If we keep missing chances it puts pressure on our defenders. People will look at us today and say Stirling Uni conceded three goals, our defenders actually played really well but when the forwards continue to miss chances it puts pressure on the guys at the back. We had more than enough good opportunities in good areas to put that game to bed.
“The boys are good enough, they’ve played in the Lowland League for two to three years, the league is tough, but you’ve got to take your chances when they come and if you don’t every team in the Lowland League is good enough to punish you, and that’s what’s happening to us.
“Fifteen games and only three wins isn’t good enough for Stirling Uni and the boys in there know that, but we have to get our heads up and go again.”
After an impressive win against Northumbria University on Wednesday Geddes’ side had every reason to be confident of ending a miserable run of form in the Lowland League.
Stirling had the better of the chances in the first period but it was the visitors who opened the scoring. Kavanagh got a toe to the ball in a goal line scramble, and his effort trickled over the line.
The students were even better in the second half, and it was only a matter of time before they capitalised. Conor Doan found space around the penalty spot to coolly slot home the equaliser on 62 minutes.
Jamie Penker put his side in front 10 minutes later when he turned his man inside the box and blasted an effort into the roof of the net.
However, it would be another defeat for Stirling as Kavanagh bravely nodded in from close range before Burrows’ attempt to head the ball back to Fry ended up in his own goal.
University of Stirling: Fry, McGale, Burrows, Stanger, Downie, Berry (Woloszyn 82), Doan, McGill, Penker, Kennedy (McArthur 75), Stokes (Lavery 59)
Broomhill: Smith, Crawford, Moss, O’Sullivan, Dunn (MacCalman 65), Scally (Duncan 65), Gray, Alexander, Kavanagh, Frizzell (Monk 69), Lamont