And it was goalkeeper Ryan McGurk whom they had most to thank for their victory, the Rangers' stopper turning from zero to hero after his antics the previous weekend against Queen of the South in the Challenge Cup.
For McGurk, in his first season of senior football, had failed to inspire in a 5-1 hammering at the hands of the Dumfries outfit.
But against the Falkirk-based Shire he looked a completely different prospect.
He dominated his box, was not afraid to come off his line, and during the course of the afternoon pulled off a string of saves to keep his side in the match.
Manager Alan McGonigal admitted later McGurk's opening day antics had worried him, to such an extent that he took him aside in training and had 'a quiet word.'
"We talked a few things over, and well, you could see the difference in his performance today," said McGonigal.
East Stirling had been touted as one of the pre-season promotion favourites, and many expected them to come to Shielfield to collect all three points.
They were even bold enough to play three up front. Their manager, Jim McInally, said it was a brave decision, but it was one which had backfired "because you cannot give a team a two-goal start and expect to come back and win.
"A draw might have been a fair result, but Berwick hung on and we are going home with nothing."
Both sides tested and probed each other in the opening exchanges, without ever really looking dangerous, although it was obvious, even at this early stage, that both defences were looking vulnerable.
And it was one such moment of vulnerability which led to Rangers making the initial breakthrough after 14 minutes, a poor attempt at a header back to his goalkeeper by central defender Stephen Oates resulting in Darren Gribben taking advantage by stroking the ball past a helpless John Hillcoat.
Shire looked dangerous on the counter-attack, however, and in strikers Colin Cramb and Brian Graham they had two players who always threatened to find a way through.
Graham, in particular, was posing the Rangers back four all sorts of problems, and in the first half he might have had a hat-trick if he had had his shooting boots on.
He pulled one snap shot wide of the goal and was then just off target when he stretched to meet a cross at the back post.
But on 28 minutes Rangers doubled their lead with a strike fit to win any game.The ball fell to John Dillon who was unmarked 25 yards out and his first-time thunderbolt flew into the far corner past a despairing Hillcoat for his first goal in the black and gold.
Rangers looked as if they were going to take a comfortable 2-0 lead into the break, but in the dying seconds the game again sprung into life.
First of all McGurk had to be alert when he rushed from his line to deny Graham. But less than 60 seconds later, in the 44th minute, the visitors managed to find a way through when Andy Rodgers found the net from close range.
Almost immediately Berwick broke upfield and Fraser McLaren, who looked pacy and always appeared to have the beating of the Shire defenders, rattled the bar with a shot from inside the box.
Early in the second half there were chances at both ends. First of all a Cramb free kick was hit straight at McGurk. Gribben then broke from half-way at the other end, but with just the keeper to beat he tried to square to Jim Lister and the chance was lost.
Lister, who put in another good shift up front, went close with a header, and on another occasion beat two men outside the box before his attempted chip to the back post just drifted wide.
But Shire were not giving up without a fight and McGurk had to come to Berwick's rescue twice in quick succession. First of all he made a good save from Cramb and then he went full stretch to turn a Rodgers effort around for a corner.
As Rangers went in search of what would have been a killer third goal Dillon went close when he was set up by McLaren, but he shot inches wide.
But again East Stirling dug in deep and Graham headed inches wide before substitute Gibson shot over the top. McGurk then had to rush from his line to thwart Cramb, and the striker's frustration at not finding the net eventually reached boiling point in the 89th minute when he deliberately knocked the ball in with his hand.
Referee Bobby Madden, in his first senior fixture, issued him with a second booking which meant the visitors ended the game with only ten men.
Overall, this was a pleasing performance from Berwick. McGurk in particular caught the eye, but Dillon, Gribben, Stuart Callaghan, McLaren and Lister all played their part.
Berwick - McGurk 8, Guy 6, McMahon 6, Ewart 6, Horn 7, Bonar 6 (Little 48) 5, McLaren 7, Callaghan 7, Lister 6 (Greenhill 81), Gribben 7, Dillon 7.