Stirling Albion 0-1 Clyde Linton (p) 75’ at Forthbank Stadium Stirling Albion’s bid to bounce back to League One at the first attempt got off to a poor start as they lost to title rivals Clyde at Forthbank in a close-fought encounter.

Scott Linton’s second-half penalty was enough to give the visitors victory over the ten-man Binos, who had Mark Staunton sent off in the build-up to the winning goal.

The Binos enjoyed the first real chance of the match when a well-worked throw in fell to Sean Dickson, with John Gibson saving well from Sean Dickson’s half-volley.

The home side were lucky not to fall behind when Michael Bolochoweckyj rose to meet Chris Mitchell’s corner. The defender directed a powerful header on target but goalkeeper Chris Smith made a spectacular save to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

At the other end, Craig Beattie’s cross found Craig Comrie who drew a fine stop from Gibson.

Dickson went close again with a curling free kick which sailed just over the bar after former Binos defender Chris Smith had fouled Beattie just outside the Clyde penalty box.

Archie Campbell could have given the visitors the lead minutes before the interval with a well-struck shot across the face of goal, and Smith was relieved to see the ball fly inches past the post.

Both sides matched each other chance for chance and the first opportunity of the second half fell to the visitors’ captain Hugh Murray, but the midfielder’s long-range effort didn’t trouble Smith as it trickled well wide of the goal.

Phil Johnston drew another fine save from Gibson with a low shot, the former Alloa goalkeeper getting down well to deny the winger at his near post.

The home side had a huge claim for a penalty turned down when Craig Comrie’s shot struck a Clyde arm in the box, but referee Steven Kirkland was unmoved, to the disbelief of Stuart McLaren and the Albion bench.

And the visitors added insult to injury when they took the lead with 15 minutes remaining when Mark Staunton pulled down David Gormley in the box. The Binos defender was shown a red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity, and Scott Linton slotted home the resulting spot kick to give Clyde the advantage.

Ross McGeachie could have grabbed an equaliser right at the death but his header sailed agonisingly over Gibson’s crossbar in what proved to be the last action of an entertaining but ultimately fruitless afternoon for the Forthbank side.

Stirling Albion: C. Smith, Hamilton, Forsyth, Robertson, McGeachie, Staunton, Johnston, Comrie (Cunningham), Beattie (Doris), McGovern, Dickson (McKinlay).