THIS wasn’t quite Apollo Creed dispatching Rocky Balboa or the Empire taking on the Rebellion, but it was undoubtedly the result most onlookers didn’t want, delivered in a pretty uninspiring fashion.
That’s maybe a little harsh on Dundee United, but the favourites made tough work of the task laid before them, never quite clicking into gear and only just about finishing the Stirling students off with the ease a team full of internationalists should have. But that’s as much down to the performance of Chris Geddes’ boys as it was Liam Fox’s team.
If everyone loves the underdog - as Craig Brown, the former Scotland manager, had mused in a pre-match message to the Lowland League team - then it must follow that no one likes it when the ‘bad guy’ wins. That’s even truer when the villain of the pieces emerges after the unfancied opponent left it all out on the canvas.
While United - clad, for some reason, in a striking mint number - deserve credit, this can’t be without context. Take the starting XIs; the home side had several internationalists in theirs, including Aziz Behich, who, just a month ago was marking Lionel Messi, whereas Stirling’s was a collection of former academy players turned students, previously spat out by the system.
At times, some of those decisions seemed a touch premature. Jason Jarvis managed just the sole appearance for Falkirk in 2018, but snarled into a tackle in the first few seconds - which was met vociferously by the 1,000 away fans - to sound the horn on the first Stirling attack.
Moments later, the 22-year-old’s eyes lit up when the impressive Cameron McKinley pounced on Craig Sibbald’s wayward pass, drove forward and teed up his winger. Only Mark Birighitti prevented the students taking an early lead.
There was fire and brimstone about the visitors in those opening moments. Every crunching James Berry tackle - and there were a few of those - and misplaced United pass - there were many more of those - was met gleefully by the baying visiting support, Stirling flags flying high.
Belatedly (and sluggishly), the United jabs started coming. First, Dylan Levitt ghosted in off the right and saw a shot deflected wide for a corner, from which Tomas Gilmour not once, but twice cleared off his own line.
Later Steven Fletcher miscued, the ball spinning onto his hand and away, but the enthusiasm levels could not be more different between the teams. Too many in those eye-watering jerseys were off the pace, whereas Stirling played like wild dogs unleashed in search of their first meal in a week.
Then came the cruel blow, which Stirling never quite recovered from. Out of nothing, Jamie McGrath swung a hopeful cross in, Fletcher nodded it down, and Behich swivelled away from his man and fired home. The sigh of relief could be heard back in Stirlingshire.
That should have been the start of the expected procession, but Stirling weren’t done yet. Despite their endeavour, the fifth-tier side had lacked a touch of quality in attacking areas during that opening half, too often asking Ben Maciver-Redwood to fight a forlorn fight.
But within moments of the restart they’d had just their second shot of the match - Ben Heal pulling an effort wide at the end of an excellent run - and the sense of United unease remained in the air, like a thick fog.
United did exude a modicum of control as the half wore on and darkness fell, but they just couldn’t finish the sprightly students off. That was until they did.
Stirling legs were noticeably faltering, the early endeavour replaced by a desperate willingness to cling onto United coattails. Then, around the 70th minute, the ball spun into the air and McGrath’s bicycle kick did the rest, despite Fry’s valiant attempt to get a hand to the effort. Glenn Middleton made the result safe with a late strike after stepping off the bench.
While this might have been a lesson in finishing from United, the students all but passed the Tannadice test and deserved the standing ovation that came their way on Chris Graham's final whistle.
