Stirling Albion and Arbroath could not be separated on a horrendous afternoon on the North East Coast. 

Substitute Kane Hester opened the scoring for the home side with his first touch, but Darren Smith equalised for the Binos shortly afterwards to make sure they went home with a share of the spoils, writes Jamie Hall.  

While Willie Robertson and Ross McGeachie missed out through injury, new signings Lewis McLear and Scot Buist played from the start, and club captain Ross McMillan was fit enough for a place on the bench after three months on the sidelines. 

The first clear opening went the way of the Binos. Steven Doris rolled the ball into the path of the onrushing Darren Smith, who burst into the box, but he was off balance and couldn’t keep his shot on target. 

Arbroath replied with an effort of their own, Josh Skelly firing wide from the edge of the box after good work by Greg Rutherford. 

The Binos probably should have had the lead moments later. Doris did well to win the ball before playing in Mark Lamont. The midfielder’s shot was saved by Allan Fleming but Smith rolled home the rebound, only to see his effort ruled out for offside. 

From that point on chances were few and far between. Darren Ramsey blazed over for the hosts while the Binos showed plenty of endeavour in the final third without testing Fleming. 

However, just after the half-hour mark, Albion debutant Lewis McLear almost marked the occasion in the best possible way. Doris was fouled just outside the box, and the St Mirren debutant smashed a beautiful free kick off the Arbroath crossbar. 

There was a scare early in the second half for the Binos when a Ramsey cross got caught in the wind and looked to be heading in, but Chris Smith did well to pluck it out of the air. 

The keeper then spilled a Mark Whatley effort into the path of Ramsey, but Ross Smith did well to get a foot in and clear the danger. 

The home side were dominating but the Albion defence was reducing them to shooting from distance, and Skelly was next to miss the target from range when he blasted over. 

Ramsey’s deliveries were causing problems in the strong winds and when one fell to the feet of Rutherford, the home fans thought their side had made the breakthrough. However, the former Alloa man could only stab the ball wide of the mark. 

Rutherford was then denied by a magnificent save from Smith. The striker headed goalwards and looked certain to have scored by the keeper got down to keep it out before Scot Buist hacked the ball clear. 

Moses Olanrewaju got his reward for some stunning displays for the Binos’ Under-20s, replacing Lamont to make his first-team debut, and the youngster looked confident and dangerous whenever his side came forward. 

With 20 minutes to play disaster struck for the Binos as they fell behind. The ball was launched long into the box and Kane Hester, with his first touch after coming on as a substitute, knocked it home from close range. 

The Albion response was immediate and Sean Dickson flashed a shot just wide as they went in search of the equaliser. 

The home side thought they had made it two when Hester pounced on a mix-up between Phil Johnston and Ross Smith. The sub played in Rutherford who rolled the ball home, but this time it was the Red Lichties’ turn to be denied by the linesman’s flag. 

Just seconds later, the Binos finally got the equaliser their play deserved. Doris burst to the byline and cut the ball back to Darren Smith, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net to level the scores. 

Albion almost fell behind again with five minutes to go. Jamie Reid fired a speculative effort towards goal and it seemed to be destined for the top corner, but Chris Smith somehow got across to make another terrific save. 

Doris had a great chance to win it at the death but as he shaped to shoot, Fleming rushed out and smothered the ball to deny the visitors a first win since December. 

Stirling Albion: C. Smith, Johnston, Forsyth, Mazel (Hamilton), R. Smith, Buist (McMillan), Lamont (Olanrewaju), McLear, Doris, D. Smith, Dickson.