Stirling Albion supersub gets rewards for patience with Kelty winner after injury setbacks

It was a case of good things coming to those who wait for Stirling Albion youngster Josh Cooper as his late winner decided the narrow contest with Kelty Hearts at the weekend.

The former Greenock Morton winger popped up with his second Binos goal at a crucial moment to lift Stirling into fourth in the League One standings ahead of tomorrow’s visit from early pacesetters Hamilton Accies.

It has been a frustrating time for the 20-year-old in recent months, with injuries forcing the winger into a stop-start opening to his Binos career.

But Cooper hopes Saturday’s goal can prove the impact he is able to have and also highlights the resilience of the Stirling squad as a whole.

Cooper said: “I picked it up and just went to drive inside, I do it a lot in training and hit the shot bottom corner. I don’t know how it has went in, whether it’s taken a bounce or hit off the keeper.

“It’s a good feeling to make your mark, it’s one of those things when you’re on the bench, you want to come on and make a difference and I’ve done that.

“It was good to get the points, we’ve started the season well but obviously last Tuesday [at Falkirk] they just come out of the traps and we were off it that night, but I’m just happy to contribute.

“We just keep going to the end, we scored a couple of last-minute or late winners last year and we’ve just been carrying that on this season in both the League Cup and in the league itself.

“Everyone is just happy to put their bodies on the line and give everything around the pitch as well.”

Another big full-time test awaits tomorrow with the visit of the table-topping Accies to Forthbank boasting a perfect record in League One from their opening four games after their relegation from the second tier.

Cooper