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STIRLING'S brave fight for First Division survival ended in the cruellest fashion last night when an injury-time goal from substitute Paul Keegan gave Partick Thistle all three points at rain-lashed Firhill. The division's only part-time club had looked like taking their struggle to at least one more game until they were sunk by one of the only dramatic moments of a lacklustre game. As expected Jags manager Ian McCall made several changes to his line-up with youngster Ricky Little making his first start in the heart of defence and Slovakian Vitezslav Mooc handed a second top team outing. Presumably the Thistle supporters will be in better voice when Rangers arrive on Scottish Cup duty on Sunday but here their backing was lukewarm in a match which often resembled a training exercise, despite what was at stake for the visitors.

Albion started brightly with skipper Chris Aitken prompting from midfield and Nathan Taggart a livewire winger who kept Partick full-back Simon Storey on his toes. One interchange between Albion's brightest duo forced Little to take the safety-first option of conceding a corner as danger loomed. However, it was the home side who carved out the first genuine chance when Stevie Murray, a match for Taggart in the tanner ba' stakes, threaded a delightful pass through to Damon Gray. The on-loan Hibs player steadied himself only to fire his shot over. A Murray corner drew a fisted clearance from Scott Christie while Stephen McKeown was crowded out by the Stirling defence following a good cross by Gray as Thistle continued to press. Thistle should have gone ahead when Gray's defence- splitting pass released Simon Donnelly but his clumsy first touch allowed Christie to race from his line and smother. The Firhill side came closer still to breaking the deadlock when Donnelly played a neat one-two with Mooc before crossing for the unmarked McKeown. The midfielder's first-time shot was netbound but Christrie spread himself to pull off an excellent instinctive save.

The home side squandered two excellent scoring opportunities early in the second half with Gray firing into the side net after Donnelly's back-heeler had created space in a crowded box. McKeown was even more culpable when he shot straight at Christie from six yards. The Jags could count themselves fortunate when Kevin McKinlay lost possession on the edge of his own box to Jay Rodriguez only for Tuffey to smother the young striker's shot. Errors began to creep into the play of both sides as Partick tired, while Stirling became increasingly desperate for the goal that might spark a Houdini act in the closing weeks of the season. They almost got it when Aitken darted deep into the box but Tuffey dived bravely at the Striling skipper's feet. Instead Partick delivered the killer blow when Graeme Eaglesham squared for fellow sub Keegan to score easily.

bbc.com

Paul Keegan scored the last-minute goal for Partick Thistle which relegates Stirling Albion from Division One. Jags manager Ian McCall rested several players ahead of Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final replay with Rangers. However, the home team dominated and on-loan striker Damon Gray squandered three excellent scoring chances. With time running out, Graeme Eaglesham showed great composure to square for fellow substitute Keegan to fire in the only goal of the game.

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