Hawick Royal Albert 0

EoS FIRST DIVISION

JOHN SLORANCE reports from Gannochy Sports Stadium

It was Stirling University's first outing in East of Scotland footballing circles – and it turned out to be a memorable day for the league newcomers.

As far as Hawick Royal Albert were concerned, however, it was a day to forget, for while the students basked in glory, the Teries squirmed in embarrassment.

Albert had every reason to be embarrassed, as they were out-played, out-thought, and out-fought by a vastly more superior University side.

Struggling throughout, the Albert Park men were simply never at the races, and on this dismal showing it's going to be a long hard season for them.

On an excellent playing surface, Stirling opened the scoring with just four minutes on the clock.

After breaking down the right, Mark McCullagh floated over a cross and Calum Forbes rose well to bullet the ball into the net with his head.

Within three minutes of this, the students added to their tally when Nick Anderson produced the scoring touch, firing home following a McCulloch free kick.

It was just the early stages of the game, but the floodgates had well and truly opened and in the 11th minute, Stirling struck again.

Showing a great touch of pace, Stuart Mooney raced in to nod a bouncing ball past the advancing Dowie – and followed this up by walking in for another score.

With Royalists looking bemused and bewildered, Stirling kept up the pressure and in the 16th minute added to their tally when Jason Bolam slotted away a Neil Share pass.

Two minutes later the University went nap. Dowie parried a fierce Bolam drive and Graham Anderson was on hand to tuck in the rebound.

Piercing the Albert defence with some fast, flowing attacks, Stirling did all again in the 20th minute. A careless pass from Hawick's David Knox was intercepted by Mooney, who fired past Dowie.

Graham Anderson then put clueless Albert into further arrears with 27 minutes gone on being fed by a Craig Glass pass.

It was now reaching the ridiculous stage, but on the half-hour mark, it got even worse.

Apparently unhappy with the way his team-mates had been playing, Hawick midfield man Michael McKenzie had been asking to be replaced.