By John Turnbull at Forthbank Stadium
University of Stirling confidently brushed aside Dalbeattie Star on Saturday as the students took all three points with a 5-0 win at Forthbank.
Jason Jarvis had a particularly productive afternoon and set up Jake Service to send the Uni into the lead after 11 minutes. The midfielder then grabbed his first goal of the afternoon on 27 minutes before adding his second – and the Uni’s third – moments before half-time with a stunning turn and finish.
Stirling were already out of sight heading into the break, but James Stokes applied the finishing touches to a convincing win with a quick-fire brace of his own towards the end of the second half.
Head coach Chris Geddes said: “I was expecting a good performance and a result, considering the run we are on. Our quality shone through and it was a really good performance.
“We’ve got really talented players and if we get the chances then hopefully, they put them away. Jason’s goal was unbelievable, and it just shows his quality again. We had some new players as well; Ben (MacIver-Redwood) up front was making his debut in the Lowland League today and I thought he led the line well and could’ve had two or three goals and Jake (Service) came in for his first start and scored.
“That’s nine unbeaten in the Lowland League going back to last season and anyone involved in it knows how tough it is to get a result so for us to do that is pretty impressive.
“We know there are harder games to come with Bo’ness and then Tranent, which are two solid games but we have shown in the past we can do well against these teams and hopefully we can do the same again.”
Geddes has plenty to be confident about after his side’s promising start to the season was extended when the Uni dismantled Dalbeattie Star on Saturday afternoon.
Jason Jarvis and Jake Service combined for the opener on the pair’s first league starts of the season. A whipped corner from the left was met by Service after 11 minutes to put the Uni in front.
Having created the first, Jarvis added his name to the scoresheet before the half-hour mark. Ben Heal was able to slide the ball through for Jarvis to round the goalkeeper and tuck the ball away.
On his full Lowland League debut, striker Ben MacIver-Redwood was inches away from adding a third when his shot rebounded off the post, but teammate Jarvis was on hand two minutes later.
With his back to goal, Jarvis flicked the ball around his man and fired into the far corner to ensure the lead was three at half-time.
James Stokes was unlucky not to have found the back of the net in the first half but was rewarded for his hard work on 73 minutes as Star were put to the sword.
The winger gambled on a long punt forward and after getting to the ball first, chipped it over Henderson in the Dalbeattie goal.
Just four minutes later Jarvis unselfishly pulled the ball back across goal for Stokes to poke it home from close range and wrap up a dominant performance.
University of Stirling: Fry, Burrows (Monroe 68’), Service, Lavery, McAninch, Berry (Woloszyn 78’), Stokes, Heal (Navarro 78’), Jarvis, McGill (Russel 68’), MacIver-Redwood (Mirzasalimov 78’)
Dalbeattie Star: Henderson, Kavanagh, Logan, Taylor, Craig, Caffrey, Ocholi, Milligan, Williamson, Kelly, Sylla