BERWICK'S campaign to secure a place in the end of season play-off positions was dealt another blow when they came second best to an impressive East Stirling side at a dank and dismal Ochilview on Saturday.
The victory extended Shire's run of con
secutive league wins to seven;Rangers, on the other hand, are suffering from a prolonged bout of mid-season jitters and this defeat means they've collected a paltry four points from the last 18.
Although the scoreline suggests a closely-fought encounter, Rangers only wrested control from Shire in the opening and closing 15 minute spells. For the middle hour of the match, however, Shire dished out a harsh footballing lesson, Jamie Stevenson and Stephen McGuire running rings around the Gers midfield, where only Paul McMullan, shifted forward into a left midfield berth in place of the demoted David Greenill, made a positive impression with his surging runs and supply of dangerous crosses.
Up front, ex-Celt Simon Lynch terrorised Jamie Ewart and new signing Simon Gair, in for the missing Andy McLean.
Understandably, in light of last week's tame capitulation to bottom dogs Montrose, Jimmy Crease wielded a freshly sharpened axe, which meant that McLean and Steven Radzysnki didn't even make it as far as the bench, while Oliver Russell and Greenhill got to wear the subs bibs. Another new loan signing, ex-Shire and Arbroath striker Joe Savage, also featured on the bench.
Elliot Smith returned as the regular left back, and Damon Gray got a rare start up front.
In front of a sparse crowd, the match flared into life like a cheap sparkler. With a mere two minutes on the clock, McMullan did a Usain Bolt on Shire right back Harding, and although his low cross was missed by Fraser McLaren, Ian Little was left at the back post with only Barclay to beat but the keeper saved with his legs.
Undeterred by this escape, the home side headed straight up the pitch to create two gilt-edged scoring chances. Weaver was allowed to run on unchallenged to shoot past Peat,only for Smith to clear his shot off the line, Rodgers battering the clearance back off the post with
Rangers defence doing their rabbits-caught-in-headlights thing.
Rangers took up the challenge though, and Paul Currie's goalbound volley was deflected over the bar by ex-Ger Eddie Forrest. By now the game had settled into some kind of rhythm, but unfortunately for Rangers it was Stevenson who was dictating the beat, the diminutive midfielder monopolising possession despite Stuart Callaghan's manful attempts to stem the tide.
Rangers suffered an unlucky blow in the 25th minute, when Steven Notman fell heavily on the artificial surface and was unable to continue. He was replaced by Graham Guy.
Nine minutes later, Rangers had Mark Peat to thank when the big keeper brilliantly clawed Rodgers' goalbound header out from under the bar after McGuire had carved Rangers open.
Despite seeing little of the ball, Rangers were not out of it and Damon Gray had a decent penalty should turned down by ref Northcroft after Bolochoweckyj appeared to handle his shot. Just when it seemed they had weathered the storm, Rangers cracked, Ewart conceding a needless free kick 22 yards out, which Stevenson curled Beckham-style past Peat to give his side a 40th minute lead. Lynch was inches away from doubling the lead a minute later, thumping a shot just wide of Peat's post from 18 yards after Gair failed to close him down.
Their tails up, Shire began the second half with a bang, McGuire sliding in a low shot from a difficult angle with Peat struggling to make the save. Stevenson fired narrowly wide from the resulting 'corner,' imagined by a clearly bored stand-side linesman. By this stage of the game, most Rangers fans were thanking their lucky stars that the Scottish League doesn't publish possession statistics for the Third Division, such was Shire's hunger for the ball.
Still, even starvation rations can offer some degree of hope, and it took a brilliant penalty box challenge by Bolo in the 57th minute to stop Gray in his tracks as the Gers' striker burst through on Barclay's goal.
With Little getting as much change from the Shire back four as you would after taking a budget hammer to a vandal-proof parking meter, Crease introduced Savage to bring some welcome muscularity to the Rangers attack.
The change seemed to inspire Rangers and in the 59th minute the otherwise peripheral McLaren broke down Shire's left flank,neatly cutting the ball back for Gray to fire home a slick finish from 15 yards.
Rodgers was inches away from restoring Shire's lead a minute later, beating Guy with ease before chipping wide with only Peat to beat. Shire eased back in front in the 64th minute, McGuire leaving Guy chasing shadows before curling a low shot past Peat, and it looked game over in the 68th minute when McGuire scored his second, heading Richardson's corner home at the front post despite Peat getting a hand to the ball.
At least Savage's introduction gave Rangers a focal point, and the big striker started to use his strength to unsettle Forrest and Bolo. The trick worked to perfection in the 78th minute, Savage's flick sending Gray through for a sharp turn and finish to set up a more exciting finish than most Berwick fans could have hoped for.
McMullan embarked on a series of cavalier runs and a blitzkrieg of dangerous crosses, but Rangers were unable to take full advantage, leaving Shire deserved winners.
Peat 9, Notman N/A (Guy 4), Smith 5, Ewart 5, Gair 4, McLaren 4, Currie 4, Callaghan 6, McMullan 7, Little 5 (Savage 7), Gray 7.
