Stirling Albion boss fumes at ropey ref after penalty call in Forfar collapse
Stirling boss Alan Maybury was left fuming at referee George Calder after his side slipped to their first league defeat of the season in a rollercoaster clash at Forfar.
The Binos had gained control of a competitive first half courtesy of Jack Harkness's fine opener, but the turning point was to come with four minutes to play when Calder gave a soft-looking penalty for a trip from Harkness on Loons winger Ross MacLean.
Martin Rennie rifled home the spot kick before adding a second just three minutes later to turn the game on its head.
A madcap ten minute spell continued after the break as MacLean added a quickfire double either side of Russell McLean netting for Stirling on his return to Station Park after leaving in the summer.
Maybury admitted his side's lapse either side of the interval was disappointing - but hit out at the decision of the referee for a major impact on the game, with the Irishman also cautioned in the aftermath of the spot kick award for his protests.
Maybury said: 'It's disappointing from our point of view, I think we started quite cautiously but we didn't give up too much and we blocked things at the edge of our box.
'I don't think for a second that it is a penalty against us, they pick up the ball and their player just chops inside and jumps into our man - never in a million years do I think that's the right call and it's probably a big turning point in the game.
'The next ten minutes or so either side of half-time is disappointing from us in that we should be going in at 1-1 but we give one away, we respond well, then give another away - it just went mad for a few minutes.
'We huffed and puffed at the end but didn't really create too much and we got what we deserved in the end.
'We've started the season not too badly so it's just a little frustrating coming here when we had higher hopes than what was deserved.'
The result leaves Stirling in fifth place in the very early standings, with one of each result in their three games so far.
A major test awaits at the weekend, with the arrival of upstart new boys East Kilbride to Forthbank for only the second meeting between the clubs.
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