HAMILTON maintained their hold on the First Divison championship as an early strike from rising star James McCarthy plunged Stirling ever closer to relegation.
Albion got off to the worst possible start when Accies took the lead after just three minutes, McCarthy rifling home his first-time volley from 16 yards out after the ball had been cut back into his path by Mark Gilhaney.
That early setback was t
o trigger some anxious moments for the home side as a looping header from top striker Richard Offiong dipped over the top while James McArthur was not far off the mark with a shot which drifted narrowly past.
It was clear that Accies were looking for a decisive second goal and Stirling goalkeeper Myles Hogarth had to look lively to claw away an Anthony Stevenson free kick from the left.
Albion's ventures up the field were proving few and far between although Jay Rodriguez offered some hope when his shot was blocked and then broke to Colin Cramb who fired over.
In the 65th minute, a snap shot from Stirling's on-loan midfielder from St Mirren, Craig Malloy, was only inches wide of Czech goalkeeper Tomas Cerny's right post as Binos tried frantically to pull themselves back into the game.
With seven minutes left, Stirling substitute David McKenna wasted a golden opportunity when he shot straight at Cerny with only the goalkeeper to beat.
So another precious three points for Accies but their second half performance was not exactly impressive.
The full article contains 259 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
