Premier Sports Cup
Stirling Albion vs Raith Rovers
Saturday 13th July 2024
3pm KO
Forthbank Stadium, Stirling
Tickets for our first competitive fixture of the 2024/25 season are now available online by clicking here.
Raith Rovers supporters will be housed in the East Stand sections I, J, K, L and M.
Entry is generally via turnstiles 7 and 8 (sections I-K) and 9 and 10 (sections K-M) but follow advice of stewards or club officials on the day as different options may be available.
Prices:
Adult: £14
Concession*: £10
Under-16: £5
*Concession: Over-65, Under-21, Disabled Supporter
Match Preview below image.
Match Preview
The European Championships may not even be over yet, but despite that, Raith Rovers return to competitive action this Saturday, when they begin Premier Sports Cup campaign with a trip to Forthbank to face Stirling Albion.
It’s all change for the Binos this season, with Darren Young leaving the manager’s chair after the disappointment of relegation to League Two via the playoffs, to be replaced with former Edinburgh City boss, Alan Maybury.
There’s been a significant turnover in the playing squad too, with 14 players departing the club following their demotion, and seven signing up for Maybury’s debut campaign in the city.
The majority of those reinforcements have been at the back, with experienced goalkeeper, Derek Gaston joining from Arbroath, while defenders Sam Denham, Erik Sula and Harley Ewen have all added depth to the backline.
Right midfielder, Harry Wright has joined on loan from Hibernian, while Cammy McKinley could be one to watch up front, after a fine season in front of goal for University of Stirling in the Lowland League
He could be joined up front by fellow new boy, Ally Roy, with the well-travelled forward joining his 14th team in just 10 years.
Maybury’s men have only played two pre-season games going into this one, a 1-1 draw against newly promoted Lowland League side Broxburn Athletic, and a 1-0 away win against Queen of the South, with the winner scored by Dale Carrick.
Meetings between Rovers and Stirling Albion have been reasonably few and far between in recent seasons.
The teams haven’t shared a division since 2010/11, and since then there’s been four cup meetings, with Rovers last visit to the stadium coming in a 2-0 Scottish Cup second round tie win back in March 2021, when goals from Gozie Ugwu and Dylan Tait booked a third-round tie with Livingston.
It was a different story the last time the two sides met however, which was at Stark’s Park in the same stage of this competition in 2022.
Aidan Connolly put Rovers into the lead midway through the first half, only for Stirling to equalise through Kieran Moore just before the interval.
With the scores tied at the end of 90 minutes, the match went straight to penalties, and despite Robert Thompson missing the first spot kick, Quinn Coulson and Scott Brown were similarly unsuccessful, meaning the bonus point went to the Binos.
Rovers would eventually finish third in the group, two points behind Albion who failed to qualify as one of the best runners up, with Aberdeen taking top spot with a 100% record.
Head-to-Head Record:
Stirling Albion wins: 34
Raith Rovers wins: 45
Draws: 22