Stirling Albion hope to get back on track after nightmare start to league campaign

Stirling Albion manager Darren Young was left to bemoan a nightmare start as his side went down 2-0 at Dumbarton in their cinch League Two opener on Saturday.

A double from ex-Bino Declan Byrne inside the opening five minutes earned Stevie Farrell’s side all three points as the Sons gained revenge for a 2-1 defeat in the Premier Sports Cup group stages.

Left-back Cammy Clark was sent off for a reckless challenge on Aron Lynas with 18 minutes left and the summer signing from Annan Athletic will now miss the home double-header against Elgin City this weekend and Stenhousemuir the following week.

It was also an opening day to forget for Elgin, who went down 3-1 at home to East Fife but Gavin Price’s men have a superb recent record at Forthbank. The Black and Whites have won on each of their last four visits, the latest of which was a 2-0 success in April.

Binos boss Young will have to make at least one change following the defeat at Dumbarton and one option would be to move Adam Cummins to left-back and restore Ross McGeachie to the starting lineup after he was left on the bench at the weekend.

Aside from a heavy defeat to Aberdeen, Stirling had looked defensively sound in the Premier Sports Cup but were undone by Byrne’s double – the first of which came in the opening minute.

The 26-year-old spent season 2020/21 at Forthbank, scoring four times in 21 league appearances, either side of two spells with Albion Rovers.

Young will hope his team can get back on track against an Elgin side who suffered a disappointing Premier Sports Cup campaign as they finished bottom of Group F.

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Reflecting on Saturday, Young said: “We gifted Dumbarton two goals in four minutes. We