Stirling Albion to visit Dumbarton in League 2 opening fixture

Stirling Albion will open the 2022-23 cinch League 2 season with a trip to Dumbarton on Saturday, July 30.

It will be a second trip in three weeks to meet the Sons with the Binos kicking off the new term with a Premier Sports Cup tie away to the relegated side on Saturday, July 9.

Stirling haven't met the Sons for a decade when both were in the Second Division. Dumbarton won three of the four encounters on their way to promotion in 2011/12.

Their first home game of the season is on Saturday, August 6 against Elgin while Annan Athletic visit seven days later.

A first league meeting with Bonnyrigg Rose, who replaced Cowdenbeath, is on August 27 when the Binos travel to Midlothian.

Stirling will continue their preparations for the new season by taking part in the North Lanarkshire Cup at the beginning of July.

Darren Young’s squad returned for pre-season training last Thursday at Stirling University and did a double session on Saturday, with the hard work continuing this week.

A friendly has been arranged against local rivals Alloa at the Indodrill Stadium on Tuesday, June 28 and they will ow participate in the NL Cup at Broadwood on the weekend of July 2-3.

Stirling will face Airdrieonians in their NL Cup opener on Saturday, July 2, kick-off 4pm. Hosts Cumbernauld Colts take on Albion Rovers earlier in the day, with the winners meeting in Sunday’s final at 4pm and the losers going up against each other at 1.30pm. Admission is pay at the gate, with prices each day set at £8 for adults and £4 concessions.

Airdrie finished second in cinch League One last season and beat Montrose in the play-offs before losing to Queen’s Park in the final. Manager Ian Murray has since moved on to Raith Rovers, with 29-year-old Rhys McCabe