Match report

Berwick Rangers 3 – 2 University of Stirling
10/11/20, Shielfield Park, Lowland League

Two late goals for Berwick Rangers snatched victory from the University of Stirling’s grasp on Tuesday evening.

The students showed great resilience to battle back from a goal down to take the lead through second half strikes from Calum Heath and Euan Baird.

However, they left Shielfield Park empty handed after the home side hit back on 87 and then 93 minutes to take all three points.

University Head Coach Chris Geddes said: “We had a difficult first half, going up the hill, but we did well – apart from losing a scrappy goal to go in one down at half time.

“However, we were excellent for 40 minutes of the second half and dominated Berwick. We got the goals we deserved – but the two we lost were poor from our perspective and, being so late in the game, it was a sore one. It’s definitely a game that we should have won and hopefully we can bounce back on Saturday.”

Equaliser: Calum Heath appeared to score directly from a corner.

Stirling went into the match eighth in the Lowland League, equal on points with ninth-placed Berwick. 

The first half-hour was an even match up, with few chances created for either side and Stirling’s best opportunity fell to Kieran Hall who hit the post, before play was pulled back for offside.

Berwick trialist David Ferguson had an excellent chance saved by Stirling’s Ben Fry on 31 minutes – but just moments later a Calum Smith header set up striker Dan Purves who scored to give the home side the lead.

Berwick could have added a second through Smith, who headed wide, and then through Ferguson who hit the underside of the bar – but it remained 1-0 at the half-time whistle.

The University started the second half brightly, dominating possession and pressurising the Berwick defence through a series of corners, crosses and long throws.

Just before the hour mark, Jason Jarvis delivered an excellent free kick deep into the Berwick box, but it was headed behind for a corner. Heath hit the subsequent corner, which missed everyone in the packed box and ran into the  net for the equaliser. 

With the scores now level, Stirling continued to pile on the pressure, with Craig Brown coming close with a looping header. But it was substitute Euan Baird who gave the students the lead. Jarvis delivered a corner from the left and Jamie Penker’s effort was parried into the path of Baird who made no mistake from close range. 

Stirling continued to dominate, however, on 87 minutes, against the run of play, Berwick’s Jack Wright got onto the end of a knock-down and finished low to Fry’s right to make it 2-2.

Heath and then Penker had chances in quick succession to seal victory for the visitors – but it was Berwick’s Ferguson that snatched all three points with a late strike from close range.

On the back of their third consecutive defeat, the students travel to Alliance Park on Saturday to take on Caledonian Braves.

For the latest squad information, fixtures and results, visit stirlingunifc.stir.ac.uk

Berwick Rangers: Horne, Ferguson, Finnie, Reid, Somerville, J. Purves (Daniel, 83′), E. Smith, Wright, Nelson (Barr, 79′), C. Smith, D. Purves (Allan, 69′)
Scorers: Purves (36′), Wright (87′), Ferguson (90′)

University of Stirling: Fry, Burrows, Webb, Downie, Berry, Jarvis (Lavery, 88′), Kennedy (Baird, 71′), Heath, Brown, Hall (Penker, 71′), McGale (Bremner, 79′)
Scorers: Heath (56′), Baird (77′)