Handy Andy grabs point for Cumbernauld Colts

An equaliser deep into injury salvaged a draw for Cumbernauld Colts against Lowland League title chasers University of Stirling at Broadwood on Saturday.
Colts scorer Andy Selkirk holds off a Stirling defender.Colts scorer Andy Selkirk holds off a Stirling defender.
Colts scorer Andy Selkirk holds off a Stirling defender.

Colts picked up their first win as a senior club in the reverse fixture at Forthbank earlier in the season and went into the game with confidence high after a superb display against Dalbeattie the previous week.

This, however, was to be a significantly poorer footballing spectacle.

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Both sides had early chances but it was the visir=tors who opened the scoring when a short defensive Colts clearance was picked up in midfield.

Geddes played a quick one two with his wide man and, finding his run unmatched as he entered the box, lofted over home ’keeper Chris Fahey from eight yards.

The home side should have been back on terms almost immediately

It was a blow for the home side, but they should almost immediately have been back on terms when Andy Selkirk chested down a ball from the right but Jamie Barclay fired over from six yards with the goal exposed.

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Colts missed another opportunity when Jonathan Black looked set for a tap-in at the back post but a defender reacted quickest to poke the ball away.

Black then had another effort blocked for a corner and Colts, after a pretty poor half, went in at the break a goal down.

The visitors adopted a more robust approach in the second half andd the game continued to be scrappy with neither side was creating much in the way of chances.

Stephen O’Neill drove towards goal after robbing the Stirling skipper on halfway but elected to chip from 18 yards rather than head into the box and the ’keeper gathered easily.

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Drew Ramsay then drilled a fine ball low across the six yard box after combining with Ross Ballantyne and O’Neill on the left and was entitled to ask where his team-mates were centrally as it was left by the defence under little pressure.

The physical nature of the Stirling play went too far in the eyes of the referee when they were reduced to 10 men for a lunging tackle on O’Neill which, while clipping the top of the ball, caught the Colts player just below the knee.

Both sides were lucky not to see further red cards following the ensuing stramash.

Fahey in the home goal became a virtual spectator bar for one rush off his line to head clear followed by a crowd pleasing tackle out for a throw as Colts were nearly caught on the break.

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The visitors continued to run down the clock, frustrating Colts who had co-manager James Orr sent to the stands.

But in the fourth additional minute the Stirling captain dallied looking to head the bacll bacxk to his ’keeper and Selkirk showed great composure to get the ball down, round the keeper and tap into an empty net for 1-1.

One of the Stirling substitutes was then sent off after the final whistle for lashing out at O’Neill as theit title challenge took a serious dent.