Star striker Dale Carrick insists it has been a team effort to help him with the best goal tally of his career as Stirling Albion moved to the brink of the League Two crown.
The Binos secured a dramatic late win at local rivals Stenhousemuir on Saturday thanks to Carrick’s stoppage-time goal – his 25th of the campaign – to set up their first opportunity to win the league at Dumbarton last night (Tuesday).
Saturday looked like being a frustrating afternoon for the visitors as they couldn’t break through the playoff-hunting hosts’ defence – until Carrick’s goal as the game ticked into the third minute of injury time produced delirium amongst the packed away support.
The former Hearts and Airdrie forward also admitted he had his eyes on the division’s top scorer crown, as he moved three behind Tommy Goss of Annan Athletic and a pair behind Charlie Reilly of Albion Rovers following his 19th league goal at Ochilview.
Carrick said: “It just seemed to be one of those games where every time we took a shot, it was getting blocked and it was the same for those guys, it just seemed to be a 0-0 written all over it until the end.
“The majority of the time I peel to the back because most of the time, the ball is going to end up there anyway; Leitchy got a good flick on to the cross and I just threw my leg at it back across the keeper and into the side of the net.
“The return this season has been the best I’ve had in my life, to be fair and it’s all credit to the boys that are around me and making sure that I’m in the right place and giving me the service to put the ball in the back of the net so great credit to them and happy to help out the team.
“My previous best was 16 at Airdrie and I’m three behind Goss at Annan, I think he’s injured now so I’m looking at Reilly now as my next target to go for and we’ll see how it turns out at the end of the season.”
Stirling gaffer Darren Young once again hailed the character of his side and said his table-topping troops were inspired by the massive away following gathered behind the goal, with whom the squad and staff celebr- ated after the dramatic win.
Young added: “What a backing we had today, it was tremendous and you actually heard it when we first came out, you could hear the fans straight away.
“I like to think we’ve been rewarding them through the season and we’re just delighted to get the three points, there’s no better way to do it.
“It’s down to the players, they mump and moan in pre-season and on Tuesday nights when they get that wee bit of running that they do but it all comes to the fore, the harder you work, the luckier you get sometimes.
“It just shows you the character and desire of the players to keep on going right to the final
minute.”
See Friday’s Observer for full reaction to last night’s clash with Dumbarton.
