Match Preview: Stirling Albion v Cowden (kids go free)

It is the proverbial six pointer this weekend when Cowden come face to face with bottom side Stirling Albion at Forthbank on Satuday afternoon (kick off 3pm) and Jimmy Nicholl goes into the game with three key players extremely doubtful. Joe Mbu, John Armstrong and Lee Makel will face fitness tests on Saturday morning.

The games are coming thick and fast just now and Cowden face three of their closest rivals in the next seven days. First up is Stirling Albion and with both sides in danger of being cut adrift at the bottom it is a massive game for both sides - currently we sit 4 points ahead with a game in hand so a win tomorrow could make all the difference in our quest to be in the 1st division next season. Nicholl will be hoping to build on the much improved performances against Falkirk and Queen of the South.

Visit Kick Talk radio to hear the pre-match chat with Jimmy Nicholl.

This will be the 3rd meeting between the 2 sides this season and we will be aiming to maintain our 100% record so far.  In August at Forthbank we recorded a 3-1 victory: goals from Lee Sibanda, Dene Brett and John Dempster cancelled out Scott Robertson's first half strike for Albion. The second game was a lot more one sided and was actually our last victory in all competitions (6th of November). Smith put us a goal down before we kicked into life and scored goals from Greg Stewart, Mark Ramsay, Kyle Miller, Brian Fairbairn and an OG saw us cruise to a 5-1 win. In both games Stirling have had at least 1 player sent off. After our last gasp morale boosting draw against Queen of the South on Tuesday their will be an air of optimism at Central Park and Jimmy Nicholls side will be feeling confident of attaining at least a point.  Both sides recent form has been below par with both teams only gaining 3 points out of the last 24 available.

The two sides have of course met on numerous occasions in recent seasons - last year both sides achieved promotion from the 2nd division and have both shown that they can compete with the teams at this level on their day.  Oddly last season we never defeated the Beanos in the 4 meetings. 2 narrow defeats and 2 draws was all that we could muster by the team who went up as eventual champions - strangely both teams celebrated promotion at Glebe Park in Brechin.

This day has not been a favourable one for the Blue Brazil. In fact our last 2 outings on this date have resulted in 1-0 defeats against Meadbowbank (1994) and Gretna (2005).

Match of the day fact of the week: The last minute goal scored on Tuesday was in fact our 1st goal in the dying minutes of matches this season.  We have conceded 5 goals in the last 5 minutes of matches this season - worryingly Stirling have scored 4 last 5 minute goals this season....                                              

*As part of Irn-Bru's "Tops for Youth Teams" initiative, Stirling Albion are allowing under 17s into Saturday's match for free in exchange for an Irn-Bru plastic bottle top - under 17s supporting the Blue Brazil should enter the ground via turnstyle number 7 to take up this offer (£5 for children without a bottle top) The Irn-Bru bus will also be at the match to provide entertainment at half time and give away goodies.