Stirling Albion boss admits side "battered" after Bairns issue harsh first-half lesson on Binos

Darren Young accepted his Stirling Albion side were given a harsh lesson as League One favourites Falkirk inflicted the Binos’ first league defeat of the season.

The Bairns came out all guns blazing in the re-arranged fixture on Tuesday evening and showed why they are considered favourites once again for the title – with first-half strikes from Brad Spencer, a Callumn Morrison penalty and a Ross MacIver header shell-shocking the Binos.

With several other chances spurned during a torrid opening half, Stirling had to dig in to avoid further damage ahead of tomorrow’s match with Kelty Hearts.

Young knows his side were second best – and acknowledged his own lessons to learn from the bruising night in Falkirk.

He said: “The first 10-12 minutes, they flew out of the blocks and they battered us to be honest. You need to hold your hand up and accept that it happens sometimes at this level.

“We felt we could’ve been better with the two up front, but maybe Jamesy [Creaney, assistant manager] and I need to accept that it never really worked. They get the first goal just as we’re about to make the change, which was good for them and poor from us but once we made that change, for the next ten minutes I felt we were in the game and caused them problems and the goalie has made a top save from one of the few chances we had.

“For me, the penalty is never a penalty – it’s just one of those ones that is a melee where everyone is in there so we’re disappointed with that and then the third goal is well worked with a good cross and run.

“We changed the shape at half-time and it worked a bit better and we passed it a bit better, but it was one of those ones where you need to accept who you’re up against – they’re one of the teams challenging