Montrose assistant manager George Shields admits key decisions went their way as they salvaged a draw at Forthbank to keep their League Two play-off hopes alive.
Garry Wood converted a disputed stoppage-time penalty after referee Gavin Duncan ruled he had been tripped by Mick O’Byrne while Paul Watson, who scored the first equaliser, was fortunate to see yellow rather than red for a late tackle on O’Byrne.
Shields said: “We would have taken a draw before the game because it keeps us in with a chance. We didn’t play very well and it was a soft penalty at the end but we’ll take it.
“We thought it was going to be a red card for Paul but we are happy that it wasn’t because he scored the free-kick and was involved in the build-up to the penalty.”
After a dreary first half of few chances, Craig Comrie gave Albion the lead six minutes after the break when he popped up at the back post to score from close range and the Binos missed a string of chances to make the game safe, with David Weatherston and Phil Johnston guilty of bad misses.
Watson levelled with a terrific free-kick from 22 yards with 11 minutes left but David McClune rifled in a stunning shot from the edge of the box in 83 minutes to restore Stirling’s lead.
Wood earned Montrose a precious point with a well-taken penalty and Binos boss Greig McDonald said: “I feel we have been robbed.
“It was a soft penalty and it was a red card all day long, but we should have put the game to bed before that. It was a much-improved performance and this feels like a defeat.”