Murray’s mint strike seals late win against Students

Posted on Saturday, March 12th, 2016

A last minute 25 yard wonderstrike from Keith Murray was enough to separate the sides as Spartans edged out Stirling University at Ainslie Park in the Lowland League.

There was a second place in as many matches on the bench for youngster Brandon Archibald with Alan Brown returning to Dougie Samuel’s side after missing out the midweek winning trip to Castle Douglas.

The opening quarter of the match went almost without noteworthy incident as the second and third placed sides played out a midfield war of attrition in front of a GroundHop UK swollen crowd of 435.

Blair Carswell was the Spartans saviour just shy of the half hour mark when he pulled off a spectacular save, throwing his body at Paul Sludden’s shot after Jeff Duah-Kessie’s earlier attempt had rebounded off the base of the post. The Stirling striker was once again in the thick of the action with four minutes left to the break.  A venture into the home box saw Kessie fall to the ground under a challenge from Paul Thomson.  Referee McNab offered him a yellow card for his troubles.

A late surge forward to the bye-line from Jack Beesley produced a pass into the path of Jamie Dishington but Marshall ensured the sides went in at the interval all square.

Half Time: Spartans 0-0 University of Stirling

The lively Kessie continued to seek an advantage for the visitors and it took a timely tackle from the back-tracking Paul Thomson to prevent any further damage. Jack Beesley’s cross caused University keeper Marshall to uncharacteristically fumble and it presented an golden chance for Murray but the striker could only look on agonisingly as the ball skimmed the outside of the post.

George Hunter came off the bench and almost made a super-sub impact but his shot frustratingly went over the bar.

Then, as the game looked to heading to a stalemate, Keith Murray looked up and thundered a low drive into the bottom corner out of the reach of Marshall to give Spartans a last minute victory.

Full Time: Spartans 1-0 University of Stirling

Spartans: Carswell, Herd, McNab, Dishington, Thomson, Greenhill, Brown, Stevenson, Murray, Beesley (Hunter 71), Horribine (Saunderson 89).  Subs (Not Used): Archibald, Maxwell, Rae (GK)

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Keith Murray